From the abyss
by K1975
Summary: Who would have ever thought that there would be an another prophecy..and who would have thought that the Slytherin prince will not remain one. The golden trio undergo a change and Draco Malfoy is now part of the mix.A slow burning Dramione.
1. Chapter 1

**FROM THE ABYSS**

 **Summary** Draco Malfoy makes a few realizations and seeks to set things right in his own way. A story of redemption and courage with the Slytherin bit thrown in. A new prophecy is made and new allies and new enemies come to the fore as Draco Malfoy finds a new meaning to his life.

 **Legal Disclaimer** : All of Harry Potter belongs to Madam Rowling . This is merely her fan's fiction.

 **Rating T.** Warning for mild violence.

 **Chapter** **1 waking up**

Draco Malfoy's world was spinning on it's axis. All that he had held dear had come crashing down these last few days. Being a death eater and wielding unimaginable power like his father had been his dream, or so he had thought. It had been his goal all these years, but the very _thought_ nauseated him now. He mentally scoffed at himself as he thought about how deluded he had been all these days. He had been blind to reality, choosing instead to look at the world through rose tinted glasses, conveniently provided by Lucius Malfoy.

But he now knew unfortunately, what exactly being a death eater was all about. There was nothing glorious about being a death eater,nothing at all. The realization had come late but he hoped not too late. It had all started a few days back, branded on to his senses when Narcissa Malfoy had knocked on his door and said "Draco darling, the dark lord wants you in his presence". The dark lord had moved into the Malfoy Manor over the course of the summer and it was now his base of operations. _And_ he had wanted to see Draco …something that Draco should have run away from but hadn't.

With a bitter taste in his mouth he recalled the events that had transpired with startling clarity. Draco at the time had been very proud of being summoned and with his head held high, he had walked into the room where the dark lord had sat much like an imperial king. After the customary robe kissing (he now wondered how he had been brought so low) he had stood awaiting his instructions. Voldemort had spread out his arms "Draco come, the time has come to prove that you are a better man than your father. His bumbling has been an inconvenience, one which you might rectify. You will be present at the next meeting and observe what it is to be a death eater" he had declared and Draco had been stupid enough to believe that he was being held in favor over his father.

Draco had stood proudly and said "It would be an honor my lord". In retrospect, he realized how clichéd the response had been and how much in contrast of his nature it had been. If he had expected more from Voldemort he had been disappointed when Voldemort merely dismissed him and sent him on his way. Draco had felt ashamed that his father was no longer in the Dark lord's graces and had hoped that he would be able to bring back the Malfoy name up to the mark. Looking back Draco would never quite understand how naive he had been. Whatever he had expected from the death eater meeting it had not definitely been this. He had assumed that because of his father's earlier exalted position he would be in a position of power himself. But it had been nothing but the position of a powerless bystander.

He had imagined that he could be like the other death eaters, full of arrogance and wealth and had been puzzled when Narcissa had looked at him with worry. That had been before the initial meeting with the Dark Lord. The same expression had been on her face again as she had come to escort him to the death eaters meeting where he was supposed to "observe what it is to be a death eater". He wondered idly what his mother had to be worried about as he made his way to the Dark Lord. It was after all just a meeting. She walked beside him and said softly "Draco there is more to you than this, don't ever forget that. Now go, the dark lord is waiting" just before entering the room. He however had no time to ponder upon it's meeting as he entered the room.

Draco had worn the death eater robes that Bellatrix had given him earlier in the day with a meaningful look and now looked no different from the others. As he walked into the room he realized that the death eaters had already been summoned and were assembled in a semicircle. He heard a moan and looked for the source of the sound.

A man in his thirties had been thrown on the ground in their midst bound with ropes. He was dirty and bloodstained with a wild look in his eyes. "Do what you want with me but _please_ let my wife go...we don't even know who you lot are...what do you want with us..." he screamed in a mixture of anger and despair.

Draco's eyes were drawn to the lady similarly bound, with tears streaming down her face. She was a young woman and pretty by any standard. Her long blonde hair was disheveled and her dress was already ripped in many places. Draco felt his stomach churn as the reality of the situation settled into his gut. Fear and horror crept in as he realized that this time he would not be able to get out of participating in the torture of these obvious muggles. He knew without a doubt that his time of reckoning had come and as much as he had thought he was ready for this he really was not... _No no no_...he definitely was not ready for this.

As much as he did not like muggles he was no torturer. He would rather just stay away from them and they were in turn welcome to stay away from the wizard world. His beliefs stood shaken as he tried to dredge up his hatred of muggles. It had seemed great when he had called Hermione Granger a mud blood. It had given his ego a sense of well being though even at that time he had felt slightly queasy when he saw the hurt expression on her face. Malfoys do not care about mud bloods he had told himself but a small voice rose up in him to say that yes he did not care about mud bloods, and yes, he felt great insulting them but _torture?_

Was he that callous, that _inhuman_ that he would inflict pain upon someone and _enjoy_ it.?It had never occurred to him until this point that he might not have the stomach for felt his stomach churn and beads of sweat stood out on his forehead. Right now however he had no time to analyze his feelings for mud bloods and muggles . He walked up to Voldemort and bent on his knees to kiss the hem of his robes as could do this..he _had_ to be able to do this.

He cringed inside as he heard Voldemort say "Rise Draco the time has come to prove your allegiance and your willingness to be a part of this honor...show us that you are a better follower than your father and redeem your position..come now Draco" he hissed "curse these abomination that dare to live .Show them how superior we are and how they should be bowing to us as their masters...show them Draco, go on..." he compelled.

For just a moment Draco stood frozen in his spot unable to think of a way out of this desperate situation. And desperate it definitely was. But he also knew that he had no true choice if he wanted to come out of the meeting unscathed. So he turned towards the muggles, his wand held tight in his hand.

The look in the lady's eyes would forever be burned into his conscience .Her eyes pleaded for mercy and also held in their depths a quiet resilience. He prayed for forgiveness as he shut down all his feelings and incanted in a shaky voice _crucio!_.His effort came out half hearted without the crippling power of any of the other death eaters but it was enough to cause pain, a great deal of pain. The lady twitched and writhed in agony as Draco felt his heart accelerate and his hand tremble. He felt sick that it was his hand that was causing so much pain.

He felt dirty and sullied as the woman's screams pierced the air. Her husband tried to reach her side and he was quickly cursed with the _cruciatus_ by one of the other death eaters and he too was soon reduced to a twitching mass of pain. Draco hastily tried to quell the nausea in his throat and felt his body break out in a sweat. He stood unable to move and entranced by this gruesome display but was sharply brought out of his reverie by Voldemort's voice. "Draco that was _pathetic_ "..he hissed. "do you not know how to cast a proper cruciatus? Perhaps a taste of it might educate you and maybe then your heart would be in it the next time you stand in my presence"... he proclaimed as he lazily flicked his wand with a cruciatus in it's wake.

Pain ripped through Draco as he writhed on the ground. No thoughts existed as his very bones felt like they were on fire. He had no cognizance of where he was, only of the agonizing pain that left him screaming for release. It seemed like forever that he lay twisted on the ground when finally Voldemort decided that he had screamed enough. "I expect better next time Draco now rise, you will have to earn the dark mark soon" he declared and let up the curse.

Draco got to his feet shakily and it was until a few minutes later that he was properly cognisant of his surroundings. His limbs twitched periodically as the after effects of the cruciatus set in. He mentally shook himself to observe the other death eaters take their turns at throwing all types of hexes and curses at the couple until finally Voldemort silenced them with an Avada kedavra.

Draco felt the bile rise in his throat as the air became thick with the smell of blood and bodily fluids. He wondered if he could ever stop the resonance of the screams in his ears. He wanted to get away from the scene and every cell in his body urged him to flee from the room. But that would also probably be the last breath he ever took his mind dimly reminded him. He took a deep breath and tried not to show the shock on his face as he occluded madly to get his emotions under his control. He breathed a sigh of relief as the focus shifted from him and the muggles as Voldemort turned to his death eaters and called for Severus Snape."Severuss.. the name came out with a hiss ..What news do you bring? Is there any anyway to get to Harry Potter?"

Snape stepped forward and spoke in his slow drawl. "My lord the brat resides in his muggle relatives house in the summer and the wards are unapproachable at this time. I am sure however my lord, that it will not remain so for long. Nothing can stand in your way for long my lord" he said sycophantically. He then looked Voldemort in the eyes submitted to the usual bout of legilimency while at the same time bringing up his discussion with Dumbledore of the same issue to the forefront of his mind.

Voldemort thankfully seemed convinced and spared him the cruciatus and declared the meeting closed with a careless "Wormtail clean up the mess and make sure the bodies are disposed of" at which the rest of the made their way out of the room to make their apparations out of the Manor.

 **Author's note** : Hello everyone! I sincerely hope that you liked the first chapter of this story. If you found it good, bad or ugly? I would like to hear it all….so please read and review. Thanks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Legal disclaimer** **:** **All works of Harry Potter belongs to Rowling and none other and definitely not me!**

 **Chapter 2**

Draco strode into his room, shut the door with a silencing charm and sunk wearily onto his bed. His body was a sea of pain from the cruciatus and his emotions...his emotions were well, all over the place. He felt the tears gather in his eyes and for once he let them flow as the images of the lady and her husband being ripped apart flitted in front of him.

He was drained while at the same time he felt the first vestiges of anger. How could he have ever thought that being a death eater would be great? How could he have ever thought that he could handle _this._..This was a man's game and he was still a boy. He was just a soon to be sixteen year old for heaven's sake!. He was not equipped to deal with the cruelty, he just wasn't.

A deep feeling of self loathing filled him from within. For the first time in his life he realized with startling clarity that he could never be a death eater. He could not revel in the pain of others ... _not like this._ Sure he had taunted and said hurtful things to others especially Potter and his sidekicks, but those were more of a teenage rivalry meant to just end in a duel or something. But _this_...this was awful,he could never cause this kind of pain and neither did he enjoy it. For that matter all this groveling at the feet of the snake faced monster only to get crucioed at the end was not particularly appealing either.

But then, seriously what were his choices? It already seemed to be a little too late to get out. All these revelations were just too late...he knew he was in deep trouble and saw no way out. He was trapped in a horror world with no chance of a life. He would forever be caught in the clutches of the monster ...or die trying to get out.

He held his head in his hands and gripped his hair as tears of desperation trailed across his cheeks. What could he do? How could he escape all this especially when this monster was sitting in _His_ house and lording it over his mother to boot. _'_ _Why?_ Why hadn't his mother stopped him, told him that this was how it was?'...he was so lost in his thoughts that he barely heard the door as his mother came in. She headed straight towards him and had a vial of a steaming potion in her hand.

"Draco darling" she called, a hint of desperation in her tone "drink this ...it will help with the pain of the cruciatus.." Draco took the vial and drowned it one go and immediately felt the ache in his bones lessen. He let out a deep sigh and asked quietly "why mother? Why didn't you tell me that this is how it is? Why didn't you warn me that I would have to stand and watch helplessly as those people were tortured." His voice rose in pitch and the anger rose in him. He threw the vial angrily smashing it into a thousand pieces... " _why mother?"_ he raged... "Why did you let me live in ignorance ?"

His mother looked at him and replied quietly "had I warned you, would you have believed me Draco? You wanted to follow your father so much that my words would not have made a difference to you. All your life you had been brought up with this grand idea of power and superiority that my words would have simply been washed away .You had to see for _yourself_ Draco and make your own realizations. You needed to wake up and think for yourself .You had to know what _YOU_ are all about my darling".

Her words stopped him cold... and a small part of his mind agreed with her...yes he was so lost in emulating his father that he would have scoffed at her words. He _had_ been lost in a world which he had seen with rose tinted glasses. _This_ _h_ owever was reality harsh and was _his_ reality. "Mum" he cried sounding far younger than he was "what am I going to do? I cannot do this. I just cannot mum...I cannot hurt people even if they are not like us. Perhaps they _**are**_ beneath us but it still does not give us the right to slaughter them. Can't they just live in their world and we live in ours? He asked in a plaintive voice "do we have to play God...what gives HIM the right? It makes me sick to think that I can do nothing except see people tortured and killed. Is that all there is to being a death eater? And there is no way out of this, is there mum?" he asked in despair.

Narcissa's eyes were moist and glassy with unshed tears... "darling I am so sorry...so very sorry" she said in a voice heavy with regret... "you are paying the price for your father's mistakes and it's so unfair. I am so sorry that I have not been strong enough to fight this, but listen carefully to me. There is one way, one very slim chance that you can perhaps escape this, but it's not going to be easy."She cringed at the hope that was blossoming in her son's eyes.

"You HAVE to realize Draco", she continued "that if the dark lord wins we are doomed...we can never be free. Your only hope right now lies in Potter and his friends...for some reason people believe him to be the Saviour and I am willing to believe the same. "But mum" started Draco but he was silenced by his mum... "No Draco there is no other way, u HAVE to understand this. I know that in the past you saw him as your rival and did your best to antagonize him but now it is not the time for such childish rivalry. You have to earn his trust and aid the side of the light."

"If you have to set aside your pride to do it, let it be so Draco. Dumbledore is powerful and he will keep you safe. Do this for me Draco, promise me that at least you will try...this is bigger than you or me and you have to TAKE the chance at survival however tough and impossible it may seem. Please Draco" she pleaded. "Thankfully there are only a few days left for you to go to Hogwarts. We have to come up with something in this time. Think wisely my son." she said with fervor in her voice.

Draco was confused and his brain seemed to be overloaded with various thoughts...he was conflicted. He could understand the logic of his mother's reasoning but _this was Potter_. His history with him ran deep and gaining his trust would be next to impossible...after all Potter had no reason to trust Draco, not even one. And assuming that he did consider it, what would his mother's position be in all this? She would be still caught in the madman's clutches. What would happen to her?.The questions raged in his mind as he prayed for a way out of this mess. Narcissa sensed her son's conflict and spoke calmly.

"Don't worry about me Draco, I have lived my life and am more than ready to let go. It's you who I am worried about. Your life stretches ahead of you and I want you to take every opportunity to live it fully". she said. "Remember this dear when every time you feel that you have to give up...remember that your mother would want you to live and lead a long healthy life. I will now leave you to rest; you have had a long day. Sleep now Draco" she said leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

Draco put up the wards on his room again making sure that no one could get in and slowly undressed getting ready for bed. He was exhausted but his thoughts would not let him rest so easily. Getting to sleep was going to be impossible tonight.

 **Author's notes** : Hi! This is my first fanfiction which I hope you like. If you have enjoyed reading this, or have any views about it please do leave a comment. I welcome all comments positive or negative. Look forward to hearing from you.


	3. Chapter 3

**Legal disclaimer:** ****the world of Harry potter belongs solely to J. and this is merely a fan's fiction.

 **Chapter 3**

Draco opened his eyes as the sunlight streamed in. There were dark circles under his eyes and his hair was mussed. Sleep had not come to him easily in the night. The enormity of his decision lay heavily in his heart like a chunk of rock. His decision to join Potter would not be viewed favourably. He would be regarded as a traitor by the dark lord and his followers and at the same time he would not be accepted readily by Potter either.

Failure at either one of the ends would result in a slow painful death as he would be hunted by the death eaters as well as the members of the light. But that was _still_ better than THIS Life... " _geez"_ he thought... "when did life become so complicated?" and he shuddered mentally at the thought.

Thinking of that, his hatred of Potter rose even higher. He was sure that Potter would not have problems like _this_ in his life. The _golden boy_ had his carpet all laid out and was protected by loyal members of the light. He mentally sneered at Potter. If it was not for Potter, his father would be free and _he_ would not be in this hell. His father would be the dark lord's lap dog and he would be happily ensconced in Hogwarts.

Instead he was in this impossible place with the great task of becoming traitor looming ahead. But even as he thought this, he knew that that he was wrong. This was just his frustration and shock coming out typically as a rant against Potter.

But in all honesty he could not hate Potter anymore, not completely anyway. For the first time in his life, he thought of looking at everything from the other side of the fence. Having had his own thoughts ruffled, and his own perceptions muddled, Potter's life actually did not look so golden anymore.

After all Potter had never asked for this and was being even more vociferously hunted than him by the dark lord and his followers. As Draco's inner voice gained in strength a small sliver of pity and yes respect wormed it's way through his heart for Potter. For the first time he could respect the pressure under which Potter lived and could respect him for living up to the expectation that the people had of him.

Draco snorted at his mental thoughts _"God he was going soft...imagine praising Potter...soon he would be wearing red and gold, Merlin help him."_ However one thing he was certain of was that Potter was definitely better at all this than he was. _He_ was barely holding up as it was, though he would never admit that aloud in a million years.

He was soon brought out of his reverie by the sound of a knock on the door. He strode towards the door and opened it. His mom stood outside all dressed and flanked by a couple of death eaters. "Draco hope you slept well"..her eyes raked Draco as she took in his disheveled appearance. "Get dressed and come for breakfast soon. The dark lord is waiting to see all of us" she said in a voice that was slightly disturbed.

He could sense her unease at the prospect of another meeting with the snake nosed monster but she dared not show it with the other death eaters in the vicinity and for that matter neither could he. He kept his face blank though his stomach churned at the thought as he said smoothly "you go on ahead mom, I will be right behind."

Draco dressed all the while dreading his impending meeting with the blasted dark lord. _What_ could he possibly want now?

He made his way to the dining room and heard Voldemort say "Come Draco..Have your breakfast after which I would like to speak to you in person". Draco bowed subserviently and seated himself trying to keep the fear from showing itself.

He took a sneak look at his mom's face and saw the flash of panic on her face. He knew that it was not a good sign to be summoned alone. Absentmindedly he got through the breakfast not really registering what he was consuming as worry over the impending meeting swirled in his gut.

Soon it was time for the proverbial axe to fall as Voldemort waved his hand for the dishes to be cleared away and motioned for Draco to follow him. His mother got up to accompany him but fell back at a sharp glare from the dark lord.

Draco followed the dark lord as they walked to the adjoining room and he closed the door with a silencing charm. Draco felt deeply uneasy seeing that he was shut alone in the room with the Dark Lord but there was precious little that he could do. He bowed once more to Voldemort and waited for him to speak.

Voldemort turned to Draco "you must be wondering what it is that I wanted to speak to you about." At this Voldemort looked to Draco for confirmation but Draco dared not raise his head. He fidgeted and looked down as he heard the words. "You see Draco, at the last meeting I was not convinced with your performance. It was so weak that I have my doubts as to whether you really believe in our cause".

Panic rose within Draco as he fought to keep his emotions under control. _No no no_...This was not good. He desperately tried to remain calm as he murmured "Not at all my lord, all my life I have lived with the dream of serving you and I would like nothing better than to serve you my lord".

'If that is the case young Malfoy, I will expect a better performance tonight where you will prove your loyalty and if you are deemed worthy I might just reward you. The others would kill for the honor but you', he paused dramatically " _you_ will earn it, that is ..IF you prove your loyalty. Know young Malfoy that it is not every time that your Lord is merciful. Do not expect this benevolence in the future. But for now you will have to face the punishment for your poor performance last night."

Draco felt the sweat break out on his forehead and he could feel his heart thundering in his chest as he knelt on his knees and murmured a silent "sorry my lord, I will try to work harder". Subconsciously he knew what was coming but was still unprepared as without warning Voldemort hissed out a _crucio!_ .Pain coursed through Draco as he once again lost track of his surroundings.

His nerves were on fire and he was hardly aware that he was screaming as the agony throbbed within him. "Mercy ...please my lord...please" he pleaded though he was not quite aware of doing so. After an eternity of suffering the curse was let up and he tried to draw a breath as he lay shivering on the hard cold floor. His head felt like it was filled with cotton and it was as though from a long distance that he heard Voldemort say "Remember this the next time you are called upon and you are now dismissed."

Draco got up shakily holding onto the table and bowed saying "yes Master" and made his way slowly out of the room all the while holding onto the wall for support. His Mother who was anxiously waiting for him outside rushed to his side and helped him get to his room.

She helped him lay on the bed and looked at him worriedly. She saw his pale face and the nervous twitching and knew that her son had been tortured once again. Silent tears ran down her face as she asked "Draco what did he want with you? What is this all about? Did he use the cruciatus on you again?" to which Draco nodded sadly in the affirmative.

Draco closed his eyes and answered her in a weak voice "Mum he was not happy with what I did yesterday and he wants me to prove my loyalty at the next meeting. He says that if he is happy with my performance he will reward me.I have no idea what he wants out of me and I am not sure that I can do what he says"…Desperation tinged his voice as he whispered "I don't know if I can do all this mom and what does he mean by reward? Do you have any idea?"

The worry on Narcissa's face increased as she flicked back Draco's hair lovingly and stroked his head as she said "No Draco I don't know what he is planning…but stay strong my dragon and then you can escape from this hell. Whatever he tests you with Draco remember it's only for a few days. Hold on to the hope sweetheart and we will get through this. Now rest for a while and I will send some potions to take care of the pain".

She walked through the door and looked back with a faint smile. Reassured that her son was resting she closed the door and let the smile slip as her brow furrowed in worry and she went looking for the potions. What was the monster planning with her son…?

 **Author notes** :I would love to hear from all of you who have read through my story. If you had liked it even a teensy bit do leave a comment. Reviews make my day and I would get onto the story with a happy smile on my face. Thanks to the person who has already sent some nice words my way.


	4. Chapter 4 Diagon Alley

**Disclaimer:** All works of Harry Potter belong to .

 **Chapter 4** **Diagon alley**

Draco spent the next couple of days trying to achieve a semblance of normalcy while trying to shove what Voldemort said to the back of his mind. He did not want to dwell on what he could be called upon to do and what his "reward" could be. As he watched his mentally sick aunt and the other death eaters talk about torture and punishment with relish his resolve to not be a part of all this became even more hardened. With these thoughts in mind he was waiting to get away from Malfoy Manor for at least a few hours as he did his annual shopping for his school supplies.

There was no denying that lately his home was feeling more like a prison and less like a home. It would be a relief to be not under constant scrutiny and having to walk on eggshells and trying to guess if your guilt was showing on your face after all. Diagon Alley felt like a breath of fresh air as Draco entered it to see a multitude of people milling about in their search for the different shops. He had thought his mother would accompany him but she had not been allowed to. Instead he had been followed by a death eater under under polyjuice potion. Perhaps Voldemort wanted him to be even more miserable than he already was thought Draco wryly.

He made his way to Madame Malkin's for his robes. Might as well finish it first he thought to himself. He sneaked a look at the death eater and saw him outside the shop peering apparently at the showcase while all the while keeping an eye on Draco. He entered the shop to find Potter and his friends waiting to get their robes done. For a minute he was in a quandary as to whether to act friendly or not and then remembered that he was being watched. Being friendly was not an option, not to mention he needed the trio alive in case they had a heart attack or something. It would not do to shock them senseless by being friendly. Now _that_ would be a sight to behold.

Potter turned and gave him a guarded glance as the Weasel openly glared at him. The mudblood Granger stilled from looking at the robes as she felt the atmosphere in the shop get charged and looked at him. "Maybe I should get back when there are no blood traitors and mud bloods around...the air reeks of filth"…he drawled falling back on the usual repartees. But the minute the words were out he realized that they did not carry the sting his words normally would.

It was obvious that they realized it too as Potter merely looked at him with an assessing glance while Granger narrowed her eyes with a calculated shrewd look. Only the weasel turned red as he looked at him "Why Malfoy look at you all alone...daddy dearest abandon you for Azkaban? Perhaps you should go crying to mummy instead...they might just have a family cell all ready for you" he spat with venom in his voice.

For just a minute deep hurt filled Draco as the words hit home and to his horror he felt just the faint trace of tears line his eyes. However he quickly blinked and fixed his mask back on. "Weasel stand down" he sneered. "Don't strain what is left of your intelligence as seeing that you would have used up most of it coming up with that pathetic insult. It looks like Potter has the right idea as he is already standing down... _why_ Potter, never knew you could be so submissive." It took all he had to stay in character but he did.

Deep down however he felt a flash of envy as he saw the three of them together. Even with the threat of the Dark Lord they still seemed free whereas he felt imprisoned. For a minute Potter's eyes flashed a deep emerald at the slight but he just took a deep breath and turned to the Weasel whose hand was near his wand and restrained him "leave it Ron he is not worth it".

Weasley however was turning a dangerous shade of red when Madame Malkin returned with their set of robes. She stopped at the sight of a furious Ron Weasley being held back by Harry Potter while Draco Malfoy lounged lazily against the counter. "What is going on here?" she exclaimed ... "Here your robes all packed and shrunk." she held out the small package to Granger who took the parcel and paid the money.

Draco could not resist one last dig "so the mudblood knows how to handle wizard money". Granger looked at him calmly and said "talk about pathetic. Malfoy you are losing your touch it seems. Come Harry, Ron let's go. There are better things to do than this". She brushed past a quite taken aback Draco Malfoy who for once had no comeback.

The door closed behind them and Draco felt sick and alone again...for some minutes everything had felt almost normal. Baiting the trio had made him feel that his life was normal like he was at Hogwarts. For some time he had forgotten that there was a dark lord sitting in his house and that his life was going to hell in all directions. Seeing the trio had filled him with a deep jealousy, of their closeness and friendship in spite of the danger that filled Potter's life. Potter's friends would not hesitate to follow him into danger and even give their lives for him but him...he had no close friends not really.

Crabbe and Goyle would follow his orders perhaps but at the first sign of trouble they would all flee he was sure. Slytherin was but a house which inspires cunning and self preservation. Not that he would be sorted anywhere else, but to have solid friends, he wondered how it would be. With a sigh he finished his shopping and ventured out for some lunch.

Eating alone was not really pleasant and for the first time in his life he felt inexplicably lonely. Almost roughly pushing aside his self pity he continued his shopping stopping for quills, parchment, owl treats and other school essentials until everything got done without bumping into anyone else and it was time to return. When the evening came he found that for the first time in his life it was with great reluctance that he returned to Malfoy Manor. Somehow in the last few days he had stopped thinking of it as home.

 **Author notes** :I will never stop asking for reviews until you give me more ( with a grin).Please let me know what you think. Good? Bad?Do R&R and I promise to get back to you. See you with the next update.


	5. perceptions

**Legal disclaimer** : the world of Harry Potter belongs to Madame Rowling and none other.

 **Chapter 5 Perceptions**

Later that night as Draco lay on his bed looking back on the events of the day he could not stop his mind lingering on the golden trio. Potter had grown taller, not as much as Weasley or him though and there was a shadow of sadness in his eyes. Now why would that be? he wondered. There seemed to be something else in his eyes and his newfound ability to walk away from a fight was new.

Weasley was no surprise however, rash and quick to get incited as ever. It was fun winding him up, and he never failed to provide entertainment. Granger on the other hand, seemed very different, or maybe it was only now that he was truly looking at her...as a woman rather than as just a mudblood or as he had lately realized "muggleborn'.

She had grown taller, more than he had thought and her tresses were no longer quite a bush. It had grown out into long beautiful curls and he wondered how it would be to run his fingers through it. It seemed to be soft and had a ripple rather like a wave.. ** _. "What_**? **_hold on_** ! ** _Wait a minute_** Did **_he_** just think Granger's hair was beautiful?"Draco shook his head to clear it. He must be more tired than he realized.

But then her eyes….her eyes were just pure honey. They were sort of 'knowing'. She had looked at him and had known he was changing. It had felt like she was looking deep inside of him. There had been no recrimination in her eyes much to his surprise; rather it had been more of a need to understand. If someone asked him how he knew all this he would not be able to explain, he just did.

Draco chuckled to himself, Granger possibly saw him as a piece of a puzzle that needed to be solved. She might even be at the library to look him up! For all he knew. Draco rolled his eyes ...once it would have irritated him no end at the thought of the mudblood beating him at every subject and practically living at the library. But today it had felt so incredibly nice to not be looked at with loathing but instead like there was a reprieve. She had not looked at him like he was something dirty, a vermin which was a feeling he had come to feel of himself lately.

There was a kindness radiating from her that had felt beautiful...a part of him ached to feel that again, to be held and comforted. He would not even admit it to himself but right now all he wanted to do was close his eyes and forget his world and just be held by someone loving. He had no idea as to why comfort and Granger were getting linked in his mind though.

 _Merlin!_ This was pathetic. He knew that Pansy or the Greengrass girls would swoon and fall at his feet if he wished so but in comparison to Granger they seemed so hollow ,without an identity of their own, a mindless puppet. Why he would compare Granger with Pansy was something he could not again quite explain rationally, but Granger he knew had a mind that spoke for itself. She was indeed the smartest witch in Hogwarts and he was not blind to that. But at the same time he could never admit to that, his ego would never allow that .

He had long ago shed the childish idea of a mudblood's blood being the color of mud or some such thing and lately his barriers towards muggleborns had come crashing down even further. The muggleborn lady tortured at the revel had had a quiet resilience about her that had been reminiscent of Granger come to think of it. He had admired the lady's will and strength and against his will, respect had seeped into his conscience. At some point that night 'mudblood' had become muggleborn and death eater had become 'torturor'.

But thinking of all this was rather futile and Draco shut his eyes pushing out Granger and her soulful eyes out of his conscience. This was not something that would ever work. His world and her world were very different, poles apart. More importantly she would never ever look at him as more than an enemy; Draco's heart gave a painful lurch at that.

Suddenly being a bad guy was painful... it had been so much simpler earlier and now everything was such a mess. Anyhow nothing could be done to change things and there was no point in simply dwelling on something that could not be altered by wishful thinking.

As Draco drifted to sleep in the manor elsewhere the golden trio sat discussing the day's events. Hermione and Harry were at the burrow and were currently sitting in Ron's room talking about the day. Hermione had a pensive look on her face "did you see Malfoy's face?" She asked. finally. "He looked different" she expanded. Ron gave her a disgusted look and spat "Hermione do you _really_ need to bring up the ferret? _He_ is just the evil git that he always is."

''No Ron', Hermione persisted "you dint see it, there **_was_** something different ...something off about him, what do you think Harry?" she asked turning to look at Harry. Harry nodded deep in thought... "you are right Mione...he did seem different but I can't put my finger on what. Do you think he is in trouble?" he asked in turn.

Ron gave an incredulous look at the two of them and shook his head "you are both mental I say, you are worried about _Malfoy_? His father is a death eater for heaven's sake and for all we know he might be on the way to becoming one. If anyone's in trouble it's us what with the prophecy and all" he said giving a guarded look at Harry who had a shadow on his face at the thought.

Hermione was about to object and take up the discussion again when they heard Ginny coming up to the room... "Hi" she called out. "Did I just hear Malfoy's name being mentioned?" she asked curiously. "Yes Ginny, you did" said Hermione and filled her in on the day's events. Ginny sighed "you know what? He is an unpleasant git alright but I don't think he's evil, and you can't deny that he is hot and downright handsome" she stated with her characteristic candor.

Her statement was met with a stunned silence. _"What?_ " Ron made a gagging sound while Harry looked alarmed "what?" Ginny responded back indignantly. "This might be news to you but he _does_ look great and half the girls at Hogwarts are begging to be noticed by him...if he did not have the arrogant sneer plastered on his face people might just notice how good he looks".

Hermione looked up with a jerk, "that's it!" She exclaimed "that's what was different. He was not sneering at us Ginny. That was what was off." She exclaimed clicking her fingers in excitement.

"He was actually looking subdued although he tried very hard not to show it, and I swear he looked hurt when Ron mentioned Lucius Malfoy. Wonder why that is?"..she trailed off with a thoughtful look. Harry nodded with a thoughtful look on his face as well. "you are right Hermione he did look more human than usual and that's saying a lot mind you when it's Malfoy" he added.

Ron started to vehemently object when Ginny intervened, It was always better to head off Ron before he got ahead of himself "anyhow it's getting late and mum will check in on us if we don't get to bed. Mione coming?" She asked gesturing towards her room which the both of them shared.

Hermione nodded and the both of them headed to Ginny's room to turn in for the night. As Hermione lay down, her thoughts went to the tall blond. Ginny was right she mused "he _was_ handsome when not sneering anyway. He had become really tall and...his eyes...they were such deep deep pools of emotion she realized. They were really beautiful eyes" she mused and wondered as to how she had not noticed it in all these years.

In fact for just a fraction of a second the hurt that had flashed across his face had made the silver grey of his eyes look like steel. Against her will, she felt a flash of pity as she remembered his tormented look...but _really_ what difference it made as to what she felt.

She would hardly be anything other than a mudblood to him and they would be on opposite sides of the war. Besides she would never be his 'type' not that she wanted to be … _of course_ she didn't think of Draco Malfoy that way. ** _He_** was after all Draco Malfoy, their rival, rich pureblood, aristocrat extraordinaire she told herself sarcastically. Besides He was their enemy wasn't he? She tried convincing herself. But try as she might that night she could not get the vision of the blond haired grey eyed young man out of her mind as she drifted off to sleep.

 ** _Author notes_** : Hi! I warned you! Not going to stop..haha. Please do read and review and you have my thanks in advance!


	6. plans and prophecies chapter 6

**Plans and prophecies**

 **Legal disclaimer** : Harry potter is the sole imagination of the great Madame Rowling and this is only a small offshoot of that.

Severus Snape was in his quarters having his breakfast when he heard a voice calling for him from the floo. He put down his toast and walked to the floo to see Narcissa Malfoy's face searching for him from the fire."Severus, good morning. Can I have a word?" she asked her voice floating from the fire.

Severus wondered at her worried expression as he gestured for her to come through. Narcissa stepped through straightening her clothes.

Once seated, "Would you like some tea" Severus asked courteously but Narcissa shook her head and replied "perhaps later Severus, I am too worried right now". "What is it Narcissa? What is worrying you so?" he asked cutting straight to the chase.

"It is Draco, Severus; I am worried about him" she responded in a terse voice. "The dark lord has been talking about him having to prove his loyalty and has mentioned something about a reward. Do you know anything about what is on his mind, can you help him in any way?" she asked her desperation and worry coming through.

Severus shook his head..."You know the dark lord Narcissa, he does not trust anyone so no, I don't have any idea as to what he is planning. How is Draco handling it?"

"He tries not to show it but he is deeply disturbed. He is only 16, just a boy. He is not like his father Severus, I don't think he is ready for any of this and I am afraid that he will do something desperate."I can see it in his eyes Severus; he no longer really believes the dark lord's ideals. He has seen what it is really like and wants to get away from all of this, only he doesn't know how. You are his Godfather Severus, please help him" she pleaded. "We don't really have anyone else who can help Severus."

"I have suspected for a long time that you are not entirely a follower of the dark lord's ways" she continued. Severus looked up but did not stop her as she said "I do not want to know your motivations but Severus, you are in Dumbledore's good graces. That much I can Draco to him somehow please. I no longer care for my own life but Draco, he has to live, he has to get through this and live his life fully. Can you understand that? I am his mother and it kills me to see him in so much pain."

"I hate being helpless while watching my child scream in pain...Please…Will you help him Severus?" her voice held a deep desperation that Severus could never have associated with Narcissa Malfoy. This was a mother pleading for her son, not the haughty socialite wife of a death eater.

Severus was silent as her words took hold..finally he took a deep breath. He could not deny that he had felt the same worry when he had seen the dark lord use the cruciatus curse on Draco. He had wished then that he could help Draco.

"Yes Narcissa" he said heavily his decision made. "I will help him, he _is_ my godson and I hold him with great affection. But I need to assess for myself the strength of his desires to walk away."

"I will speak openly Narcissa", he continued his voice becoming fervent with urgency. "This will _not_ be an easy journey, we both will be under a great deal of risk and I cannot have him chickening out halfway through. He either has to go the whole way or not at all. Do you understand? There is _**no**_ midway" he stressed. "There is no coming back, no redemption at this end."

Narcissa nodded her assent "I understand Severus only too fully and I dare say that Draco understands too. He is not the child he was…you were there Severus, you saw what he went through. How the cruciatus was held on him? Didn't you see his disillusionment? His pain?" she asked emotion plain in her voice before she stopped had gone on more than she normally allowed herself "When do you want to talk to him? The sooner he is away from that place the more at peace I will be."

"Yes you do have a point, there is no use procrastinating, I will come by today itself and let's see what can be done" Severus responded. Narcissa smiled wanly "thank you Severus" she said, "I will forever be in your debt for doing this. You are a good man. Now I will not impose on your time any longer and I have to have a word with Draco before he meets you. Take care." Taking her leave she walked to the floo and gracefully flooed to the Manor in a swish of green flames.

Severus Snape sat in the armchair deep in thought. He finally came to a decision and took a handful of the green powder. He threw it in the floo and fire - called Albus Dumbledore."Albus, are you there? He called and was rewarded with Dumbledore's voice "yes very much, my boy what is it"?

"Are you alone? Can I come through?" Severus asked. "Something has come up that you need to know." Dumbledore gestured to him to come through "very well Severus, do come through". Severus Snape stepped-through the floo and found himself in Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore gestured to the chair "take a seat Severus, now may I know what brings you to my office?" he asked.

Severus took a deep breath "Albus this morning Narcissa Malfoy came to my quarters. She has asked for my help in getting Draco Malfoy out of Malfoy Manor. You know that he is my godson Albus, I could not turn her down. Apparently the dark lord is planning to test him for his loyalty and has offered a reward in return. Knowing the monster it will be something horrific that we cannot even hope to contemplate. He is probably punishing him for Lucius's failures. Unfortunately, I am not privy to the dark lord's plans this time and have no idea what he is planning."

Dumbledore gave a look, his eyes twinkling from above his half moon glasses "I am sorry to hear that Severus and I understand your I ask what you have decided Severus? What is your course of action going to be?" He asked."I agree that no child should be made to suffer under Voldemort" he continued further "and Draco is, but a child. He might even be an asset to us in the long run if he has seen the error of his ways."

Dumbledore held up his hand in supplication as Severus started to protest… "No Severus I did not mean it to sound like he means nothing but an asset to me. I did say that I see him as a child did I not? So what do you plan to do Severus? Knowing you, you must have already given this matter some thought."

'Yes Albus, you are right', Severus said heavily "I have given this some thought. Do you remember the port key pendant that you gave to me in case of emergencies, the one that you insist I have on me at all times? Perhaps the time has come for me to use it."

"From what Narcissa told me I gather that Draco is at the end of his tether and might try to revolt the next time he is called upon. God willing, I should be able to portkey him away from there at some point. Once portkeyed he will arrive at Hogwarts and I need you to ensure that he is not harmed by anyone else here."

"Of course Severus" Dumbledore countered "you can count on me to be here when he arrives and I will ensure that he is safe and at liberty to make his decisions freely. But give me a time frame as to when you expect this to come to pass so that I can alert Poppy if required."

Severus remained thoughtful for a few minutes before saying 'Within the next couple of days most probably and since it's so close to the start of the term it might be prudent for him to remain here till the end of the holidays."

Dumbledore nodded his assent when suddenly there was a clanging sound from one of the instruments and a spiral of smoke arose from it. Dumbledore got up with a start "that was Sybil's quarters" he said with a quizzical look.

Severus looked up startled "Trelawney?" he asked dubiously. "What now?"he drawled "perhaps she self destructed herself with her own prophecies"...he said dryly'. Dumbledore gave him an admonishing glance and spoke "care to accompany me to her quarters?"he asked. "I need to see what this is all about. You might be surprised by what you find Severus".

Giving an incredulous glare Severus followed Dumbledore to Trelawney's quarters. After giving the password they entered the room to see the professor looking at her crystal ball with a glassy look. She did not appear to be aware of the new entrants. It seemed that she was in the throes of something that only she could see.

Suddenly she went all rigid and in a harsh voice intoned " _ **one born of light, one born of dark, one born of loyalty and one born of neither, shall bind together to vanquish evil and bring light to the end of the dark tunnel. Through a path of tears, blood, love and hardship they will find victory and free the enslaved...one born of light...**_ she trailed off.

Severus looked up with shock to see his amazement mirrored in the old wizard's eyes. He was staring far off into space. "This might be the key to end the war Severus" he whispered. "Do you realize what this means?" he said. Severus for his part did not hold really hold Trelawney in high regard and therefore refrained from any comment.

He saw her more as a fraud rather than as a professor but even he could not deny that this was the real thing. This was indeed a prophecy.

After what seemed an eternity but was actually just minutes, professor Trelawney came to herself and dimly looked around...she was surprised to see Dumbledore and Severus Snape in her quarters. 'What happened" she asked in a hoarse voice. Dumbledore smiled at her benignly and said 'we had a false alarm my dear, everything is alright now, we will be going now and leave you to your rest."

It was obvious that Sybill Trelawney did not quite understand what happened but she dare not argue with the headmaster. "Yes headmaster" she acquiesced as she watched the two wizards exit her quarters.

Once outside, Severus turned to Dumbledore. "you did not want her to know...why?" he asked in an accusing tone. Dumbledore calmly replied. "While she has the gift of seeing, she unfortunately does not have the gift of secrecy .I would rather this does not get out until we know what it is all about and what ramifications it has. So until then this stays between us".

Severus nodded as they headed back to the headmasters office this time to pensive the prophecy and to ruminate about it.

 **Author notes** I want to thank everyone who has thought my story worth a read. Needless to say I very much look forward to hearing your thoughts and views on this. Please feel free to review and nothing boosts my enthusiasm as reading reviews does!


	7. Chapter 7

**Legal disclaimer** : Harry potter and all its characters including Draco Malfoy belong to J. and no other…alas!

 **Chapter 7**

 **Loss**

Dumbledore and Severus Snape made their way to the headmaster's office each immersed in his own thoughts. Soon they were at the gargoyle. 'Mars bars' said Albus Dumbledore gaining entrance to his office, Severus followed giving the headmaster a quizzical look. 'Before you ask it is a muggle candy, Severus. You must try it sometime; it is a most amazing concoction.'...explained Dumbledore to which Severus merely responded with a raised eyebrow. He would never understand the headmaster's fascination with sweets.

Taking a seat, Severus voiced the thoughts plying on their minds 'Albus what do you think of all this? Did Trelawney really give a prophecy just now?' he asked in a highly doubtful voice. Albus deeply sighed ' I am afraid she did my boy, she definitely did".

At Severus's pointed look he added 'yes, I have a few ideas but they are just ideas at this point in time. There is no point in saying something which might not after all come to pass, if you know what I mean. I would rather wait and see how it all unfolds. If I am not mistaken a great deal is about to change and it might be the good tide that we have been waiting for.' He said cryptically.

"Stop speaking in riddles Albus' Severus snapped. "Aren't you going to tell me what these ideas are? For heaven's sake old man you forget I was there just as you". The words came out petulantly but Severus could not help himself as he glared at Dumbledore. Dumbledore merely smiled with the damn twinkle in his eyes ' when the right time comes you will definitely know and Severus my boy, didn't you tell me that you have a meeting with Draco Malfoy to get to?'

Recognizing the dismissal for what it was, Severus nodded and took his leave. Absent mindedly he made his way to the dungeons deep in thought. The day was turning out to be stranger and stranger.

Once in his quarters he flooed to Malfoy Manor and managed to find Narcissa without incident. Thankfully the dark lord and the other death eaters were in a different wing of the manor and he was not accosted by any of the others. She rapidly ushered him into a room where he found Draco seated nervously on the bed. He looked wan and pale and had dark shadows under his eyes. It was becoming increasingly apparent that the pressure was getting to Draco.

Severus placed a hand on his shoulder 'how are you Draco?' He asked with concern in his deep black eyes. 'Your mother told me that you do not wish to follow in your father's footsteps, is this true?'he asked cutting right to the matter at hand. 'I want to hear it from you Draco. I need to know that you are doing this out of your own volition' he said his voice calm and collected.

Draco looked up with a haunted look ' _no_ Uncle Severus, I don't want to be a death eater. I don't want to be a slave to the dark lord or to anyone else. The thought of torturing someone makes me want to puke .I thought I could do it but I really can't. I am simply not made like that and I am sorry that I had not realized this earlier' he said his voice reflecting his anguish.

"When _he_ made me torture that woman the other day I felt like a piece of me had died too" he said in a small sad voice. "It was horrible Uncle Severus. I don't know what to do" he cried desperation flooding his voice. "I feel like it's too late already" he said hanging his head in defeat. It broke Severus Snape's heart to hear the sadness and pleading in the proud slytherin's voice. However it only cemented his need to help his godson further.

"Have you given enough thought to this Draco?" he asked softly breaking into his godson's ramble. "Don't be hasty dragon"...said Severus using his pet name for Draco. "You are at a crossroad and what you decide right now might very well decide the path of your life. Are you sure that you don't want any part of this, are you absolutely sure?" he reiterated.

A look of determination graced Draco's handsome features "I have never been more sure of anything else uncle, _this_ , this is no life...I cannot live like this. I would rather die, not that that might not happen anyway" he said with resignation.

Severus could not help the flash of pride on his face "I am glad that you have realized for yourself what your mother and I knew of you a long time ago Draco. You are pure inside but had let yourself be misguided by your father. I will help you fight your way out of this darkness but I have to warn you that the road to the light will not be easy. You will not be readily accepted because of your heritage and your past actions, but you have to try. You won't be alone because I will be there by your side. Once you leave here there is no coming back, do you understand that? Can you live with that?" he asked.

Draco stood silently digesting the words for what seemed like an eternity, quietly evaluating the options. He knew in that moment of truth that his godfather was right. Finally he took a deep breath and turned to Severus "yes I understand what it means. I understand that there will be difficulties and I am ready to face my destiny but what do we do? Do you have a plan? And what about my mother?" he asked.

Severus nodded solemnly "Draco the time has come for me to tell you a secret."Draco turned to him with a curious look.

"I am not the death eater that you think I am...I have never been one. I have been on Dumbledore's side all the while, spying on the dark lord for him". Draco looked at him in shock as he weakly asked "so all this is an act? Merlin! How did you pull this off? did mother know this already?" he asked looking at his mother in confusion. As he thought about it another realisation slowly dawned. "Are you an occlumens then"? He asked quietly.

Severus nodded and continued "yes Draco I am an accomplished occlumens which is how I have survived all these years but that is not the issue here. Your mother did not know for sure, she merely had her suspicions but now you know. The immediate concern however is that you have to get out of here before things escalate and escape becomes impossible do you understand?"

"So listen carefully" he continued. "I carry with me a portkey designed to bypass the manor's wards however strong they might be and take me to Hogwarts. I will give you the portkey to get to Hogwarts tonight. Do not at any point remove the portkey and remember that the portkey has only a single use. One shot is all you will get. So use it wisely for another chance might not present itself."

"What about you and mum?" asked Draco trying to digest all that he was hearing. It had shocked him to know that his godfather was on the side of the light all these years and he now had a deep admiration for the man to have done so. It was virtually impossible to fool the dark lord and live and yet his godfather had done so.

He snapped back to attention as his godfather continued "the portkey is designed to transport only one person Draco...and it has to be you" his drawling baritone voice the only sound in the room. "I have survived all this while without your help and I am sure I can manage a few more years so I do not want you to play the hero and try to save me or some such 's leave all that with the Gryffindors"" he said dryly.

"As for your mother, she knows the risks and is willing to take them. In due course of time we will try to get her out too but now is not the time to dwell on it. Right now you have to get ready to go from this place and I would suggest that you get to packing a few essentials and be ready by 8 pm tonight when I will come to fetch you."

He then lifted a chain off his neck with a beautiful lily pendant and placed it around Draco's neck. "Remember dragon you activate the portkey by saying 'sanctuary' and be sure before activating it. Once activated, there is no stopping it" He finished.

Draco looked reverently at the beautiful pendant and realized that it must mean a lot to his godfather. Something about the way his godfather handled the pendant told him that it was precious to him. "I will take good care of it uncle until you can take it back".

Severus looked at Narcissa who had been silent throughout the exchange and said "Narcissa, I must take my leave now, I have been here too long already" Narcissa nodded "God be with you Severus...I pray that all goes well. Take care my friend." She breathed more to herself.

Severus exited the room and made his way back to Hogwarts while Draco set about packing a small bag with some clothes and personal effects in them.

Draco sat on the bed with a heavy feeling in his heart. This is where he had grown up and had spent all his childhood. It had special memories for him, playing quidditch with Blaise and Pansy when they had come over. His mother fussing over him, whenever he had got hurt tripping over the vase. All the Christmases,with the beautiful tree and presents.

How did it all go to hell? Damn the madman and damn his father for choosing to follow him. Now it had come to him to clean up the mess and he would if that was the last thing he did he thought, taken aback at his thoughts. God that sounded positively Gryffindor. He cast a tempus charm to check the time and he was shocked to see that it was already 6. What is it with time he wondered..Goes fast when you don't want it to and goes slow when all you want is to speed it up.

He was brooding over it when there was a knock on his door. He prayed with all his might that it was not a summons and held his breath as he opened the door, only to find Nott and Rowle standing at the entrance. Looking suspiciously at Draco's dressed up look Rowle nodded "the dark lord wants to see all of us" he said.

Draco's breath hitched in his throat and his heart thudded in his chest. If he was being summoned it can only mean one thing. He must have really offended the gods...why couldn't it have been tomorrow. He would have made it out of here by then. Clenching his fist he followed the two to the parlor where he knew the dark lord held his assembly.

As he walked through the palatial mansion he idly thought if this was the last time he would walk through it and whether this was it. The parlor came not too soon and Draco entered to find the dark lord already seated on the throne like an imperial king with all the death eaters assembled in a half circle. He felt rather than saw Severus Snape standing stiffly in the circle but he dared not look at him

"Come Draco, take your place" Voldemort's voice rang in the hall. Draco gritted his teeth and moved forward to kneel at Voldemort's feet. ''es master I am here." he murmured keeping his voice reverant. "Rise dragon, and assume your place."

Voldemort stood up and held his hands out "my dear men all of you must be curious as to why I have summoned you here today. I have good news to share...one of our own who was not among our midst all these days has returned to serve his master once again. It was his folly that put him in Azkaban and his loyalty that has made me bring him here again".

"Come Lucius, and assume your rightful place in the circle" He intoned while all the death eaters looked at him with sickening adoration. Draco could hardly keep quiet at this sick display of servitude. What a bunch of imbeciles he thought, and fought to keep his face blank. A deep uneasiness wound its way through his gut. He knew that Lucius's presence boded nothing good.

Lucius Malfoy walked into the room and went on his knees at voldemort's feet. He looked leaner and paler but held himself with the same arrogance as before. ."Master", he murmured reverently before standing and assuming his place in the circle. His eyes flicked over to Draco but there was no warmth in them, only a flinty hardness and a feral gleam that showed how far he was gone in his endeavour to please Voldemort. He nodded to the others and held himself stiffly looking straight ahead.

Draco was shocked at what he saw in Lucius's realized that this man who knelt at Voldemort's feet was entirely the dark lords servant, there was not a vestige of the man he knew as his father that remained. He mentally shook his head trying to come to terms with this unexpected complication.

This was the last thing he needed. He dimly noted that he was numb with fear and his heart was racing double time. His father was out? How? Why now? Merlin! What the heck was he going to do now as if the situation was not dire already...his brain seemed to shut down and a cold dread of fear made its way into his stomach.

Narcissa Malfoy who had come into the room looked at Lucius in alarm. She caught Severus's eye but immediately looked down, she didn't want to arouse suspicion in any way.

"We will celebrate this victory and rejoice in this reunion and Lucius you will be happy to know that your son will be the guest of honor tonight. That will truly be your welcome back" Voldemort declared.

Bellatrix looked at him with her adoring gaze "what do you have in mind my lord?" She purred. Voldemort gestured to Wormtail "get the mudblood in". Draco tensed, _**no not again**_ his mind screamed. Didn't the bastards have anything else to mind? he reminded himself that he had a way out now but his feet seemed to be stuck to the ground. There was no way that he could get to the pendant when all their eyes were on him.

Wormtail returned dragging a young girl with her hands bound in front of her. Silent tears were streaming from her eyes as she looked fearfully at the men in front of her. Voldemort rose and stood in front of Draco. "Draco look at this beautiful girl. She is yours, take her. Prove to us that you are no longer a boy but a man". The look on his face was feral and Draco flinched. "This is your test and your rite of passage. Prove to us that you are worthy of being a her Draco. For all you know she might be a virgin"…he said with an evil smile.

 _" **What"?**_ the words burst from Draco's mouth... "no no I can't." he stuttered. Voldemort's face twisted in rage... "Foolish boy" he screamed and all the death eaters cringed as they knew that it was not good to anger the dark lord. It did not bode well for anyone.

"You dare defy me? Take her and take her now" he commanded. "Make her scream your name and make us proud, make your father proud. Lucius what is this"? he demanded turning to Lucius Malfoy. "It seems that you have not taught your son well" he taunted. "Well don't stand there, show me what you have taught".

Lucius stepped up to Draco and there was raw fury in his face "you have disappointed me Draco and you know the price of it _...crucio_!" he shouted out suddenly pointing his wand at Draco. Draco was caught unawares and he fell to his knees as the pain coursed through him, through his very bones. He gritted his teeth to keep from screaming but he could not stop the moan of pain that slipped through. After an eternity of pain it stopped and he looked up from where he lay at his father feet. At that point he knew that Lucius had reached the point of no return.

"You will do as the dark lord says you hear?" his father raged...Draco turned and looked blearily at the young girl who had been forced to her knees. Her eyes held terror and something else that he would never have expected...a sliver of pity as she held his gaze. Her gaze reminded him of Granger as she had looked at him in Diagon alley. He stood shakily wondering how Granger had insinuated her way into his thoughts especially at a time like this and he knew that he must look crazy with the small smile on his face.

Draco also knew right then and there that he could not do what Voldemort demanded. He might have been a prat in his life but he had never forced a woman against her will and he never would.

It was a sacrilege to him, something cheap and he would never be reduced to that. For all the arrogance he portrayed he was still a virgin something not many knew and he was happy to let his image of a slytherin sex god stand. He wanted his first time to be special...he would not let Voldemort contaminate him and take away every last dream from him. Besides he could not stand the fear directed at him from the girl...she looked terrified of him and it tore at his heart.

He desperately wanted to tell the girl not to be afraid of him. He was not one of these monsters. He would not do anything to her. He will not hurt her. He was not a monster…not a monster…the thought rang through his mind.

He stood frozen to the ground when Lucius Malfoy marched upto him and grabbed his arms. He was then dragged across the floor and pushed roughly towards the girl. "You will now do as the dark lord commanded" barked Lucius.

Draco had half a mind to laugh...his father must be less than a man not to realize that no one could perform under pressure but then again he doubted that his father would appreciate the humour. He lifted his head and looked at the girl...she was crying and trying to back away from him. He made to move towards her but she fell to her knees at his feet and to his horror started begging him "please don't, please please", she cried "I am a virgin and I have a boyfriend whom I really love"...she looked at him with tear filled beseeching eyes. Draco stepped back in horror and could not stop the flow of tears from his own eyes.

Voldemort stepped up to Draco and looked at him with a scrutinizing look "perhaps we should make it more interesting for Draco, Lucius..give him more incentive as it were"he said and waved his wand .Draco saw to his horror that the girls features had started to distort and change. The blond hair, (what was it with death eaters and blond haired girls) Draco wondered idly, changed to a deep brown and the girl's grey eyes changed to a honey brown.

Draco suddenly did not want to see the end product for after a few minutes the muggleborn did no longer resemble herself, she was resembling Hermione Granger. A perfect duplicate of Hermione Granger with a terrified look in her eyes as she turned to Voldemort "what did you do to me "she asked in a horrified whisper but of course she was not deigned with an answer.

Draco stepped even further away from the girl and looked at his father warily. He wondered if the dark lord had indeed seen into his mind as he taunted "Draco perhaps Potter's mudblood would be a better prize...what say you"?

Before Draco could open his mouth and condemn himself further Narcissa who had been horror stuck till that time could not stop herself any more. She knew she had to step in. She stepped in front of Draco and addressed the senior Malfoy. 'Lucius what has happened to you? What are you doing to your own son? You love him remember, for god's sake he is just a boy let him is not old enough for this"she pleaded.

Lucius got even more enraged at Narcissa's words and he hissed "if not for your coddling he would be more worthy of the dark lord...now step aside and let him carry out his orders" he demanded. Narcissa however held her ground. "You have to get through me first Lucius" she said drawing her wand with determination lacing her every action.

"Stupid woman get away from him" roared Lucius as he drew his own wand .But stopped short as he heard Voldemort say "touching as all this family drama is, it does not serve any purpose and you Narcissa have disobeyed my orders directly. You are nothing more than a hindrance to me. Now step aside woman or face the consequences". Narcissa did not budge but instead held the dark lord's gaze defiantly ... "you dare defy me insolent woman" the dark lord screamed in fury and he shouted ' _Avada kedavra_ ' at the same time that Narcissa shouted ' _protego_ '

Draco watched in dazed fascination as his mother's body fell to the floor in slow motion...there was no blocking the unforgivables his mind dully supplied. She had died for him to protect him...she was dead...and the dark lord had just killed her in cold blood. A slow rage built up inside him...the monster had killed his mother and by God he would pay for that. He yanked out his wand and yelled the first spell that came to his mind _'incendio'_ he screamed...

Voldemort lazily incanted ' _protego'_ and followed it with a swift cutting curse. Draco barely avoided the curse and saw that he was now fair game for all the death eaters there and he started casting curses as quickly as he could...," _diffindo"_ he shouted while following with a _protego_ to to protect himself from the barrage of curses that followed and all the while he was running in circles so that he would not be a stationary target...

He wondered briefly where Severus Snape was and whether he was helping him surreptitiously as he realized that half the curses were not landing on him. Still running, he managed to block a cutting spell from his father but now he was besieged from all sides...he dodged a stunner sent his way and ran right into a spell aimed at him by Bellatrix. Damn the woman he cursed as he felt the red light slam into him with the force of a sledgehammer. He went sprawling across the floor to practically land at the dark lord's feet. Shit I must improve my dueling skills he thought vaguely...

He felt himself being pulled to his feet by his hair as he scrambled for purchase on the cold floor and he faintly realized that it was Lucius who had his hair in a death grip. He tried to pry himself loose as his head was pulled back mercilessly but the grip was too tight... "bring him to me Lucius" he heard Voldemort say and felt himself being pushed forward to stand right in front of Voldemort.

There was cruelty in his eyes as he looked at Draco in fake sympathy _**'young malfoyyy**_."..he dragged out the name maliciously "you have failed in your test and I have no patience for traitors in my midst. Foolish boy you don't know what a grave you have dug for yourself...your reward will now become your punishment" he hissed.. "Take him to the table and truss him up, make sure there are no mistakes" he said.'

Draco struggled with all his might knowing that his chances of escape were becoming dimmer and dimmer but Nott and Rowle who were holding him were far stronger. He was propelled forward roughly and made to lie down on a plain flat table. His arms were stretched out forcibly and held with bruising force until Voldemort spoke softly and metal bands snaked out and circled his wrists tightly. His ankles were similarly tied up with the metal bands.

He surreptiously tested the bands and found no give in the metal...and noted with chagrin that every time he tried to break free it held on a little bit tighter. _damn it_ he thought I am so screwed, the shit had hit the fan and he had no idea as to how he was going to get out of this one. Vaguely he wondered what would Potter do and was once again baffled as to why his mind was insistent upon dredging up the golden trio at this particular time…maybe it was the brain's self defense mechanism he thought wryly.

Voldemort circled around until he stood directly before Draco... "those metal bands are bewitched ,every time you seek to free them you will see that they become tighter so I would be wise and keep quiet if I were you. I would undoubtedly like to get started right now but there is the little matter of the mudblood to be attended to...so feel free to struggle all you want for a little while longer" he laughed cruelly.

Draco could do nothing else as he lay with the metal bands cutting into his skin unable to ponder his fate.

Read and review pretty please!

 **Author notes** :sorry to leave you with a cliffhanger,So will Draco make it?

I thank you for having given this chapter a read. I would like to point out that reviews are pretty much my boost so do leave a review with your thoughts and suggestions. Take care. Ciao.


	8. Chapter 8 perils

**Legal disclaimer** : all of Harry Potter belongs to J. and this is just her fan's fiction.

 **Warning:** For mature themes and language although I try not to make it too graphic. I would not recommend this chapter for young teens or kids. Rating goes up to M for this chapter so be warned.

 **Chapter 8 Perils**

Draco tried to keep himself still as he felt the metal bands digging into his wrist. He knew that there would already be deep gouges on his skin from it. He closed his eyes and tried not to think of the hopelessness of his situation. There were a hundred things he could have done differently but hadn't and he realized the futility of dwelling on missed opportunities.

He just hoped to God that something would happen, he quite dint know what it would be though to give him a reprieve. But his hopes were dashed as he heard the high reedy voice of Voldemort call out "Lucius, perhaps you should be the one to have the mudblood as a welcome back present. It is time for you to show your son what it is to be a man". Much as he made it sound as an option everyone present knew that it really wasn't.

Lucius bowed low masking the slight expression of unease as he glanced at Draco from the corner of his eye. "As you wish my lord" he said. Draco whipped his head around to look at Lucius in disbelief. He did not want to believe this; he could not believe that his father had sunk so low...how could he? Especially after all the spiel on how a Malfoy should behave. Especially not, he thought with a wince when his mother's body was still on the ground. _No!_ He would not let his mind wander there for he would surely break and he needed his strength and mind to get out of this goddamned place.

But however much he wanted to deny what his ears were hearing, he could not stop himself from watching in morbid fascination as his father approached the young girl. _No no_ he begged in his mind along with the girl...let her go let her go he chanted...she never did anything to you, he said in his mind...he prayed hope against hope that his father would gain his senses and let the girl go but that was not to be. Lucius was nothing more than Voldemort's senseless puppet.

Draco could not bring himself to see the sick scene unfolding before him and closed his eyes as his own father removed his trousers deliberately. He heard the girl struggle and scream uselessly against the men holding her down even as he kept his eyes tightly closed..

But he was denied even that comfort as Voldemort walked towards him and said "Draco you will open your eyes this instant" he commanded. Draco defiantly held his eyes closed but they were wrenched open when he felt a stinging backhand across his face. He felt blood on his lips and his eyes flew open as Voldemort held his jaw tightly and hissed "you _**will**_ see what is happening, you _**will**_ accord us the respect, you understand?"Draco tried to twist away from the grip but he could not as Voldemort continued "you _**will**_ do as I say or else the girl pays. I am sure you don't want to be responsible for causing her more pain would you"...he said with a cruel taunt in his voice.

Draco reluctantly kept his eyes open and watched helplessly as the girl's clothes were vanished and she was laid bare for all to see. He wanted to turn away and give her privacy but knew that he could not. He felt an overwhelming pity and rage on her behalf as she was raped while she begged and pleaded, until she did not have the strength to scream and just sobbed silently. She turned her head away not wanting to acknowledge what was happening to her and for just one moment her eyes connected with Draco's.

Draco could see the desperate plea in her eyes before she looked away and he felt anger at himself for not being to help. He struggled again against his bonds but it was in vain as all he accomplished was to cause his wrists to start bleeding as the metal tightened impossibly even further. He felt sick to his stomach and knew that his own eyes had begun to water silent tears. His heart thudded in his chest and he felt the heaviness descend on him as the helplessness of his situation was brought to bear.

Fortunately the charm that Voldemort had cast on her earlier had worn off and she looked like herself or else he knew that he would never be able to look at Hermione Granger in the eye again. Thank heavens for small mercies he thought wearily.

By the time some of the other death eaters had had their way with the girl Draco knew that she was more dead than alive by her still posture. Draco felt numb and empty from seeing her violated again and again as his mind sought to desperately escape the scene before him. Finally after what seemed an eternity of being caught in a nightmare Voldemort deemed that the message had been conveyed and gestured to his men to remove the girl from his presence. Draco knew however that the girl would not survive the night. They never did, not after this.

But his concern over the girl had to be put on hold as Voldemort's attention now turned to him. Voldemort stood in front of him and smiled evilly "Now what do we do with you young Malfoy? you have turned into quite the traitor and you have to be accorded the respect as befits a traitor" he laughed sarcastically..."Avery"he called "perhaps you would like the world to know what he is? Use your creativity for all we need are his screams"He declared maliciously.

Avery smiled and bowed "I thank you for the honour my lord, I assure you that you will not be disappointed'. He then approached Draco and looked condescendingly "how the mighty have fallen" he sneered. Draco tried to stop the fear from showing in his eyes as he desperately put on his customary bored look. It wouldn't do for a slytherin to wear his emotions on his sleeves would it? That was purely a Gryffindor trait after all.

He tried to control the shudder that ran through his body as his robes were vanished and he was left in his shirt. It took all his control not to look at Severus Snape to see some form of encouragement in the onyx eyes. He knew without being told that his godfather would be very worried for him right now. Hell _**he**_ would be very worried about him right now, he thought wryly. So much for slytherin humour..

Avery did not waste time and Draco was startled as he leaned forward and ripped open Draco's shirt. Draco felt the cold drought ghost across his bare chest and closed his eyes trying to calm his racing heart as his throat went dry with fear. He knew that the pendant was visible to all and prayed to every god that he could think of that the death eaters were as dumb as he thought they were.

Avery looked at it with confusion and stopped in his tracks. He stepped back as Voldemort noticed the cessation and stepped forward to examine the pendant. Draco held his breath as he asked "what is this Lucius?" motioning for Lucius to step forward. Lucius saw the pendant and replied nonchalantly "this is nothing to do with the Malfoys my lord...it must be a gift of love or some such silly thing I assume". Voldemort had a pensive look on his face while Draco maintained an indignant look on his face trying to convey that it was none of their business what pendant he wore or whose for that matter. He hoped that the pendant would not be removed and would be taken for a trinket and not anything precious.

Voldemort touched the pendant and ghosted his fingers over it examining it in close quarters. Draco closed his eyes tightly hardly daring to breathe. Oh Merlin! He thought. After a few minutes however Voldemort said thoughtfully "I do not sense any magic on this pendant, you might be right. It will be interesting for him to profess his love with a pendant drenched in his own blood don't you think? All the more dramatic". At this he was met with raucous laughter as the death eaters played to their master's sick attempt at what he thought was humor. "Avery" he continued "you now know what to do" he said with a smirk, "make sure that this becomes a true pendant of love will you".

Draco heaved an inward sigh of relief and thanked the gods that Voldemort was so complacent in his own knowledge. At the same time, he mentally thanked Dumbledore for the excellent masking of the magic on the pendant. His one chance at freedom still lay with him. Voldemort once again moved away and motioned for Avery Rookwood to come forward. Draco held his fear at bay with a sinking heart, he had heard about this man from his father many times. He was an especially cruel man who apparently also favored the knife.

True to form Avery Rookwood waved his wand and conjured a silver knife .Draco braced himself as he felt the cold tip of the knife against his skin and gritted his teeth as he felt the knife being pressed harder, inch by inch against his skin. He gasped as he felt the knife penetrate his skin and his body became as stiff as a rod even as he struggled to hold the pain in.

His body broke out in a cold sweat and shuddered as the knife was dragged over his skin again and again. Tears of pain leaked out of his eyes as slowly he felt the blood leak out at the sides and pool under him. It was as though Avery was trying to create a word on Draco and he had half an idea on what it could be. After all death eaters were not known for imagination.

Avery paused to look at his handiwork and Draco drew in a ragged breath ...it was a small reprieve but he knew the relief would be short lived .He looked up at the ceiling not yet willing to look at his weeping chest as Avery Rookwood leaned in to resume his torture with an evil glint in his eyes.

Draco felt his skin crawl as Rookwood brushed his hand against his chest with a smile before placing his knife for the second time. If only he got out, Rookwood would have hell to pay Draco promised himself. Draco braced himself as he felt the knife digging into his skin once more and could not hold in his agonized grunts of pain this time as his body writhed and bucked against the metal bands in an effort to repel the knife.

Soon he lost track of time as the knife kept digging into his skin again and again and at some point he had given up all pretence of fortitude. He knew that he had screamed like a girl but there was no help for it. He was steadily weakening with the loss of blood. There seemed to be no stopping the madman and Draco felt the edge of darkness closing in as the pool of blood was getting bigger and bigger. The metal bands had cut in deeply by now and were adding to the pool of accumulated blood. Voldemort finally raised his hand calling a halt and called out "Severus step forward it seems that there is a need of your services. We cannot have our prisoner blacking out before we are done. Revive him with your potions" he commanded.

Severus Snape who had reined in his emotions over the last hour with a lot of difficulty stepped forward. It had taken all of his occlumency skills not to step forward and rescue his godson as he was being subjected to the madman's cruelty. He knew that he had to wait until the opportunity would present itself and now he knew that he would not get a better chance. He went up to Draco afraid of what he would see and was dismayed to find the word 'traitor' carved into his godson's chest.

A wave of pure fury raged through him and he had to clench his fist to keep from lashing out right then and there. However he put up his mask and pulled out a vial of blood replenishing potion as well as an enervating potion and slid his hand under Draco's head. Lifting Draco's head with his felt he silently adjusted his hold until the chain of the pendant, was touching his bent forward shielding Draco from the rest of the room and surreptiously keeping the vial down, he softly whispered 'sanctuary'.

Suddenly there was a flash of white light and in Draco's place there was only empty space. Snape softly smiled to himself and then putting on a puzzled expression turned to Voldemort. "I don't understand what happened my lord? How can he disappear like this?"playing his part to perfection.

Voldemort's face turned to one of pure fury as he rounded on his death eaters. "It must have been a portkey, that chain must have been a portkey. That blasted old fool Dumbledore must have done something. Only he has the power to mask a magic object's power. Well what are you waiting for you fools...go and search there is a possibility that the wards might have prevented the apparition. Severus you must return to Hogwarts immediately, gather information on whether Draco Malfoy is there. I will expect your reports at the earliest, go now but return soon as I have some interesting plans for the Hogwarts Express" he commanded.

Severus did not waste time anxious to return to his godson. He immediately walked out to the apparition point and disapparated to Hogwarts fear churning in his gut as thought of his Godson's condition. He desperately hoped that Draco had survived the portkey as he arrived at the gates of Hogwarts and made his way to the Great Hall for he knew that was where Draco Malfoy would have landed.

 **Author notes:** A big thank you for all those who have stopped by to read. I would appreciate your thoughts on this story good or bad..so please do read and review. It would take all of two minutes. Thanks and take care. Ciao.


	9. sanctuary chapter 9

**Legal disclaimer:** everything to do with Harry Potter belongs to J. and none other including me.

 **Sanctuary chapter 9**

 **At Hogwarts**

Meanwhile back at Hogwarts Dumbledore was seated at his desk deep in thought ruminating over the war and the implications of it when he felt the wards tingle. Something or someone had broken through the wards. He cast a spell on one of the numerous instruments in his room and was rewarded with a picture of the Great Hall.

He apparated to the Great Hall, one of the perks of being the headmaster, to find someone sprawled out apparently unconscious. Before he could get to the side of the injured person however he was accosted by the silver patronus of his potions master asking him to open the gates to the school. Rushing to open the gates he hardly registered the silver blonde hair of the unconscious teen.

His potions master would be better able to help Draco Malfoy he thought, if he was right in his assumptions right now. He rushed to the gates to let in a tense and worried Severus Snape… "is he alive?" came the rushed words of the potions master.

"I am yet to see him Severus, but let us not assume the worst, have faith. He is a strong young man" said Dumbledore. Severus glared at him "If you knew what happened you would not be saying this" he snapped and rushed to the Great Hall followed closely by the headmaster.

His heart skipped a beat as he saw the still form of Draco Malfoy as he rushed forward to turn the young boy over. Seeing the blood on Draco's body Dumbledore blanched but gathering his wits immediately, sent a patronus of his own to summon the medi witch to the great Hall.

Poppy Pomfrey hurried in with her emergency kit and set to work on treating Draco. "Oh Merlin! Severus what happened?"she exclaimed while at the same time holding Draco and getting ready to administer the blood replenishing potion.. "Severus don't just stand there help me' she said.

Severus Snape stepped forward and prised open Draco's jaw while the mediwitch poured the potion in. She then waved her wand over the prone body and started incanting healing spells. Once the bleeding was a little bit contained she turned to the two men "I need to do the rest in the infirmary. There is only so much I can do here" she said.

Nodding at her request, Dumbledore conjured a stretcher and levitated Draco carefully onto it. Walking beside the stretcher both men both men reached the infirmary where Dumbledore deposited Draco carefully onto the bed and conjured screens around it for privacy. Pomfrey waved her wand and vanished the remains of the shirt getting her first look at the injuries… "Oh God! Poor boy who would do did this to him. Which demon can do THIS to a child? If I ever get my hands on them they will be sorry they ever dared to attack a child" raged Pomfrey as her healer instincts kicked in on seeing the injuries inflicted on the young boy. Severus looked at Dumbledore to see the blood drain from his face and a worried expression take residence instead. He could see that Dumbledore was deeply shaken and it was not often that one could see Dumbledore shaken.

Getting a hold of herself Poppy turned to Draco's wrists first. She cleaned up the dried blood and gasped at seeing the deep gouges on the skin... "any further and this would have reached the bone" she said with restrained anger. "They were magical bonds Poppy" explained Severus and saw the witch nod in understanding "then he was lucky that he was out of there in time" she said.

She carefully cleaned and applied a healing salve to the injury and wrapped it up with a soft clean bandage. At this Draco gave a soft whimper of pain but remained motionless otherwise. She debated on the use of slings but as both the wrists were injured he would wind up using them anyway and so she left them with just the bandages on.

Her attention then went to the deep wounds on the chest with a distressed look. She waved her wand over the wounds while incanting a healing spell at the same time. The wounds closed but the scars did not completely disappear. She waved her wand over the wounds again but sighed in defeat as the words remained etched on the skin. She turned sorrowfully to Severus "I don't know what happened there Severus but these are cursed wounds…and I am afraid that these scars will not go away. I will of course keep trying but I might as well tell you that the chances are remote unless you can do something about this" she said looking at Dumbledore.

"Healing spells have never been my forte Poppy and wounds such as these cannot be meddled with. I will however try to gain more knowledge of what can be done and keep you apprised of the same" he said sadly, totally devoid of the twinkle in his eyes looking at Severus for affirmation. Severus nodded acknowledging the need for more research as well as his participation in it.

For just a moment Severus felt a flash of anger and pity for his godson's state as he looked at the word on his godson's chest but he pushed the feelings away. It would not do to fall apart when his godson needed him more than ever. He did not miss the fact that Draco had not so much as stirred through all the ministrations and it gnawed at him. It did not sit well with him to see his godson so totally still and pale.

Suddenly however he was wrenched from his thoughts by a silver patronus materializing and speaking in Arthur Weasley's addressed Dumbledore with the message that Harry Potter wanted to see him at the earliest.

Dumbledore had a knowing look on his face as he replied that Harry's concerns can be laid to rest as it was being taken care of. Seeing the curious look on the potion master's face he explained "Don't you see Severus, Harry must have had a vision".

"Do you mean to say he would have seen the night's events?" asked Severus with a degree of skepticism. "It does seem that way right now but how much of it he witnessed that only he can tell when I see him in the morning". At Severus's look of alarm he sought to reassure "You do Harry an injustice Severus. It might surprise you to know that he is capable of keeping this entire event a secret, do not worry on that account".

In an effort to divert himself from the disturbing thought of Potter being involved in the whole mess, Severus Snape started to mentally catalogue the potions that Draco would need as he watched the mediwitch start her scan once more .Draco had a couple of bruised ribs, from Bella's spell most likely, he thought to himself and deep gouges on his ankles as well which had gotten relegated to the background in the light of his more serious injuries.

Having treated those, she once again spelled more healing potions as well as one for dreamless sleep and pain into Draco and finally stepped away from the bed. "He will be asleep for the next quite a few hours, as he needs his rest. His body has a lot of healing to do. He has made it just in time Severus, any longer and he might not have escaped totally whole. That is physically speaking but the mental trauma is something else altogether. Poor child, he has been to hell and back…you take good care of him Severus do you hear. This is all that can be done right now which leaves you to attend to your other affairs if you want" she said.

"By the way Severus" she added "I hope you are not hiding any injuries as I gather that you have come from the same place as he has" looking meaningfully at Severus's death eater robes. Severus shook his head in the negative and motioned for Dumbledore to lead the way to his quarters as he knew that Dumbledore would want to be filled in on the evening's events.

 **At the burrow**

Harry twisted and turned in his bed trying to evade the images flooding his unconscious mind. He saw an opulent room and Voldemort standing in the room with all the death eaters. He saw Draco Malfoy being escorted into the room and assume his place in the circle. He heard Voldemort say the horrible words reintroducing Lucius Malfoy in the circle. Harry noticed against his will the look of horror on Draco's face and idly wondered why…

The vision got more and more gory as he saw the girl being transformed into Hermione and found himself screaming "no no no" along with Draco. He dimly heard Ron trying to wake him up but for once he did not want to, not that he could have. He was too deeply drawn in; this time…He felt Ron shaking him but could not wake up.

He could not walk away when he heard Voldmort force Draco to commit the unthinkable. For once he felt sympathy for the boy which transformed into a kind of respect as Draco stood upto Voldemort…Harry felt horror fill him as he saw Narcissa Malfoy fall dead and screamed along with Draco…oh my god!.Malfoy…what have you gotten yourself into he wondered.

Yes they were not friends but after seeing this Harry wondered if they were enemies anymore. Utterly horrified at what he was seeing but unable to terminate the vision he was a captive witness to the torture Draco was put through…Fighting to get out of the vision he realized that his subconscious was trying to say something. 'Dumbledore' his mind weakly supplied. He had to get to Dumbledore. If this was true maybe they could rescue Draco Malfoy. He felt the bile rise in his throat as he saw the blood soaked figure of Draco vanish and he was abruptly released from the vision.

"Draco" he shouted waking up and looking around wildly much to the bewilderment of Ron as well as the Weasleys and Hermione who had responded to Ron's call. "Mate, are you alright? What does the ferret have to do with anything" asked Ron worriedly "And why are you calling him Draco? fretted Ron. He turned to Hermione deeply worried "what is going on Mione?"Hermione for once however had no answer as she took in the bewildering events.

Harry did not have the frame of mind to answer all the questions right then…he **_had_** to get to Dumbledore if Draco was to be saved."Dumbledore I have to speak with him. Malfoy is hurt very badly…I need to tell Dumbledore" he said. Hermione gave him a speculative look but did not ask any questions for once.

"Why would Malfoy need rescuing Harry? He is one of them…they wouldn't hurt one of their own…calm down mate. I am sure it's nothing to worry about" Ron tried to dissuade while the others looked on encouragingly. But Harry was frantic, "I don't have time to explain Ron just let me get to the floo" he said and rushed into the living room with all the others at his heel. When Ron tried to start the argument again he was shushed by Hermione who elbowed him saying "Ron can't you see he is worried. Let him be, we will figure it out later .I am sure Harry will fill us in later".

Harry took a handful of the green powder and turned to who was one of the assembled."Where is Dumbledore , how can he be contacted? he asked determination in his voice.

"Hogwarts Harry" replied, he is at Hogwarts if you are sure about this". Harry did not reply…instead he turned to the floo and put the powder in "Sir..Professor Dumbledore are you there?" he called out sticking his head in the floo. The floo had taken him to Professor Dumbledore's office but he did not see him there. The headmaster's office was empty. He suddenly realized that it was halfway through the night and naturally he would be came out of the floo and regarded .. "Is there any other way to contact him? …it is very important". He said a note of desperation bleeding into his voice.

was torn between humoring Harry and disturbing Dumbledore in the night but the desperation on Harry's face won. "I could send a patronus to him I suppose" he said reluctantly. "Please it can make the difference between life and death" pleaded Harry. took out his wand and conjured his patronus which took the form of a fish and spoke "Albus, Harry needs to talk to you..Get in touch soon please". The patronus swished away bearing the message.

The room went silent for a few minutes before Ron blurted out "Merlin Harry! Why would you be so desperate to save Malfoy of all people…he is nothing but a jerk and I honestly think he must be putting you up to this in some way…I can't believe you would fall for this Harry" he ranted his ears turning red in the telltale Weasley way.

Ginny who had been silently observing everything turned to look at Ron with an annoyed frown "Ron, Malfoy is our age….it must not be nice to be the son of a death eater have you ever thought about that?…let's not jump to conclusions about what he does or does not deserve okay?".Harry flashed her a grateful look as he realized how accurate she was without even knowing the details.

He turned to give his own opinion when a bright silver phoenix swished in and spoke in Dumbledore's voice "Harry don't worry. I know what you speak of and rest assured the needful has been done. I will speak with you in the morning" and vanished.

Harry let out a sigh of relief and turned to the roomful of people waiting for an explanation he took a deep breath "sorry everyone …hmm I know that all of you want to know what is going on but I really cannot say anything right now. I don't even know if it's true' he said unwilling to divulge everything in front of a whole lot of people who did not even know Draco Malfoy. It did not seem the right thing to do…hell even Ron didn't understand leave alone the rest of the Weasleys. Moreover he could not totally blame them as Draco had not particularly done anything to endear himself to them, if at all it was the opposite.

'I am sorry" he reiterated again. "Don't worry about anything Harry, if it is really important I am sure Dumbledore will tell us" the others reassured. "We understand son, now let all of us go back to be and discuss everything in the morning." he said with finality.

Slowly everyone trudged back to their rooms trying to make sense of everything that had happened. Harry went up the steps trying to get the image of a blood soaked Draco and the dead body of Narcissa out of his mind while Hermione and Ron exchanged meaningful looks.

Everything will have to wait until Dumbledore showed up in the morning he supposed.

 **Author notes:** Thanks to all of you who are giving this a read. If you notice, reviews make me update faster (hint! hint!).So do read and review and feel free to give me suggestions, point out the mistakes. well you know the drill!


	10. conversations chapter 10

**Chapter 10 conversations**

 **Legal disclaimer** : Harry Potter and his friends belong to J. and none other.

Severus and Albus Dumbledore walked into Dumbledore's quarters and seated themselves at the desk. Albus looked at Severus with a solemn look "would you care for some tea Severus? This might take a while". Severus nodded "If you would please, for once I don't mind, it's been a long day and an even longer night".

They waited in silence for the tea to arrive and once the house elf had come and gone Albus poured out the steaming peppermint tea and turned to Severus. "I take it that it all came to a head last evening; tell me about it Severus'.

Severus Snape nodded and started his account of the evening's events leaving nothing out. When it came to the part where Severus talked about how Lucius Malfoy came in, Dumbledore became unusually grim. "So,Lucius Malfoy is out of Azkaban" he observed and assumed a thoughtful look.

"Yes he is' Severus replied 'and what's worse is that he is not even himself Albus. He is completely under the Dark Lord's control and mindless enough to do whatever he asks. The whole time that Draco was tortured he just stood idly by doing nothing' he spat disdain clear in his voice.

"Severus how did that come about? What happened to put Draco in such a condition"Dumbledore asked his eyes dull and weary and for once looking his age.

Severus in answer launched into the details of how Draco had been forced to rape the muggleborn girl and how he had refused to do so. In doing so he could not stop the note of pride that entered his voice. "All my doubts about Draco's resilience and allegiance disappeared then Albus. At that moment, his humane side came to the fore and he stood tall before the dark lord. But unfortunately he paid for it dearly Albus. Narcissa Malfoy stepped in to save her son and lost her life in the process. Voldemort killed her in cold blood" he said in a sombre voice.

Dumbledore looked at Severus sharply "She put herself in the line of fire to save her son you say. Yes a mother's love is most wonderful" he said thoughtfully. Severus wondered at the look on Dumbledore's face but put it aside for a later time.

Instead he took up the sordid tale once more "Draco was first in shock but he was consumed by rage when his mother's death registered in his mind and he actually fought the dark lord. _Actually fought_ him Albus,! I never imagined I would see the day when Draco Malfoy would boldly stand up to his father and the dark lord but he did. He tried fighting his way out of there but the numbers were too many and he was overpowered".

"Losing a loved one gives us hidden strengths Severus as you very well know…Narcissa's death has given Draco the strength of mind that he did not have earlier. No doubt he has gone through a harrowing time but I believe that this may help in the long run. But then again Narcissa's death is clearly not the only traumatic thing he experienced tonight"…he said inviting Severus to continue the gory tale.

Severus sighed 'You are right. He was then tortured for his reluctance and refusal to sully a muggleborn girl. He was seen as a traitor and branded as such. But there was one interesting thing that happened which I cannot understand and sincerely hope you will be able to shed some light upon…there was a point in time when the Dark Lord transfigured the muggleborn to look like Hermione Granger stating that it would be greater incentive to take Potter's "mudblood". Where did Hermione Granger come into all this?" He wondered aloud looking at Albus Dumbledore for answers.

He was not disappointed as for the first time since he started the narration, a faint smile graced Dumbledore's features and his eyes took on a glassy far sighted look. Severus patiently waited for the answer but instead of answering Dumbledore asked a question of his own "What was Draco's reaction to this Severus?".Severus Snape was confused but knew better than to ask when Dumbledore was in one of his riddles mood.

"If at all Draco was more horrified and more determined not to do as the dark lord commanded…come to think of it, it is rather curious isn't it? he asked. 'Yes it is indeed very curious' "Dumbledore replied still with a mysterious look on his face. "Well Old man, are you going to tell me what is going on in that head of yours?" snapped Severus irritated with Dumbledore's answers. He was tired and had had a rough night and he was simply not in the mood to listen to Dumbledore's riddles.

"All in good time Severus, all in good time. Please bear with me for a little while more and I promise that I will share with you my thoughts on all this .But for now please continue and tell me what else happened." Severus reluctantly took up the tale once more and talked of how while Draco was tied down his father was ordered to rape the muggleborn girl and how Lucius had mindlessly followed the dark lord's orders without a care about his son and his now dead wife.

"My heart was in shards Albus, No one should have to see their own father in that position and especially not Draco who had idolized his father for so long. But you know what really, really hurt Albus? The fact that I was right there and could not help in any way."

"There was not one damn thing I could do, not one single thing and it killed me" he ranted in a tortured voice. "I just stood there helpless watching my godson scream in agony and desperately wishing that I could just spirit him away from there" he said in a voice heavy with self recrimination.

"Do not blame yourself Severus", Dumbledore comforted "you know as well as I do that the situation demanded your silence. Had you lost your patience perhaps we could not have saved Draco's life. You put yourself at risk, it was a brave and an admirable thing that you did. I have no doubts that it must have been incredibly painful for you to see your godson in so much pain then but your patience has paid off and Draco is with us safe".

"True" Severus admitted trying to calm himself and continued putting forth how he was called upon to revive Draco and how he had taken the opportunity to activate the portkey. "Albus you should also know that your charms over the pendant held. The magic of the portkey was masked and the dark lord was fooled into thinking that it was an ordinary pendant. Needless to say he was enraged about it but that is of no consequence right now. The rest of course you already know."

"Thank you for telling me what transpired Severus as well as for saving Draco Malfoy. Yes I agree that he is your godson and therefore you do what you do but he is also my student and for that I thank you. Moreover I now believe that the possibility of the prophecy coming to pass is greater than ever".

"What do you mean "asked Severus with a startled look. "What has this got to do with the prophecy?"."I will be in a better position to explain that once I talk to Harry which is only some hours away" replied Dumbledore. "Perhaps we should consider getting some rest before going to see Harry, assuming that you want to accompany me of course".

Severus turned to walk away but Dumbledore's voice stopped him "Severus, Draco has been through a horrifying time both physically as well as mentally. You will have to be his anchor and bring him out of this devastation. I anticipate that you will have some unexpected help in that quarter", he held up his hand at Severus's puzzled look "but you need to be patient or you might lose Draco in the bargain" he said cryptically.

"Of course' Severus replied smoothly realizing that there was no chance of getting anything out of Dumbledore now.

"Albus before I go there is one another thing I need to know…the dark lord has ordered me to find out if Draco Malfoy is here. What do I tell him? And he also hinted that there might be an attack on the Hogwarts express in a bid to capture Harry Potter" he said his voice curling with displeasure as he spat out Harry's name.

Dumbledore however let this go and said "Yes he will want to know that. It will not do to deny it completely. Tell him that the portkey took him here and that I have made Draco my ward and placed him under protective blood wards" .Looking up at Severus's expression he further elaborated "you do realize that he is almost an orphan and this would have to be done for his safety except that you would be doing it at some point in my place. I also assume you have no objections to the idea?"

"Of course not" replied Severus before rising from his seat indicating his departure. "And what about Potter? he enquired in a caustic voice.  
"Does he still take the Hogwarts Express knowing that there might be an attack?" Dumbledore looked at Severus with a deep knowing look. "Anything else will jeopardize your position with Voldemort so we just have to take enough precaution and take the chance" he said heavily.

"I presume that I should be thankful for this consideration as seeing that it is the golden boy himself who is in jeopardy " sneered Severus sarcastically to which Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "Someday Severus you will understand and for the sake of everyone I hope it's soon. Go rest now. God knows you have little time before we go to the Burrow".

"So do I meet you here after breakfast?" Severus called out as he let himself out to which Dumbledore acquiesced with a wave of his hand, his mind already contemplating the events of the past night.

 **At the Burrow**

Harry trudged up the stairs into the room that he and Ron shared. He knew that Ron and Hermione would want an explanation and he was not disappointed to find the both of them waiting for him expectantly. He settled himself on the bed and sighed "I suppose you want to know what I saw?". "We don't want to force you mate but yes we were wondering" Ron said with ill disguised curiosity.

Harry looked at his friends; Hermione was bursting with curiosity and struggling to hold it in. He decided right then that they deserved to know what happened. 'Well as you know I had a vision' he said and started narrating the night's events. Hermione gasped when Harry mentioned that Lucius Malfoy was out of Azkaban and Ron burst out saying "what? What good are these dementors if prisoners can break out of them so easily" he ranted. 'Oh My god! Was Draco also there Harry?"Asked Hermione."

Harry opened his mouth to answer but Ron beat him to it 'Of course he was Hermione, he is a bloody death eater isn't he, they all stick together, they do" declared Ron pompously before Harry could answer.

Harry nodded "Yes he was, but he was as shocked as I to see his father there. 'No Ron' he added before Ron could start ranting again "I am not mistaken, he was shell shocked and he also looked like he didn't want to be there at all.'

He paused to look at his friends expecting Ron to take off again but they remained silent and seeing the encouragement on their faces he continued. When he described how the muggleborn girl was dragged in Hermione started looking very upset and Harry wondered for a moment if she could handle what was to come.

He continued bravely and blushed bright red when he got to the part when Draco was asked to take the girl. "What the heck? That is soo sick' burst out Hermione "Oh Merlin! poor Draco" she exclaimed. Ron swiveled around and looked at her like she had gone mad…"Poor Draco!?How do you figure that…he was not the one who was going to be raped was he…Hermione he probably jumped at the chance for all you know. Right mate?" he asked turning to Harry for confirmation.

Harry shook his head and said quietly "No he didn't Ron he didn't want to and refused point blank'. Ron looked confused "what?' he refused?" he repeated blithely while Hermione had tears in her eyes. 'How awful' she whispered 'to be asked to do something so horrible…that man is sick …so so sick and what on earth was Lucius doing? Didn't he help? she asked turning to Harry.

'It was so awful Hermione" Harry replied "Lucius didn't do a thing to help, he simply ordered Draco to do as Voldemort asked but somehow Draco didn't cave in.'

"Oh god! Wasn't anyone there to help" she asked wringing her hands…Harry shook his head "he had tears in his eyes Hermione I could see it so clearly…come to think of it you know what's so funny with this vision though? he asked 'normally what I see are flashes of the events but with this one It was almost like I was there, so real and so near'.

"How do you know that this is real then Harry?" Questioned Ron. "what if it was a planted vision? Harry slowly shook his head "I don't know Ron, it just felt different. It could be, I don't deny that possibility but I guess we would know for sure when Dumbledore comes in the morning" 'Anyhow to answer your question his mother stood up for him Hermione but she was killed for it by Voldemort."

'What? Hermione screamed while even Ron started looking disturbed at this piece of news. "No one deserves this Harry not even Draco Malfoy" said Hermione with tears in her eyes.

"You are right Mione…I can see it so clearly even now. He was shell shocked for some time but he snapped out of it and started fighting his way out of there'. By now Ron and Hermione were completely trapped in the story and Hermione weakly whispered "he fought against his own father?" Harry nodded not saying anything "did he make it out of there? please harry…I don't think it can get any worse." "But it does Mione, it does" Harry said sadly.

"What can possibly be worse than this Harry?' Ron asked in a small voice unable to imagine his mother being murdered right in front of him. His reservations had been steadily coming down in the last hour as he heard more and more of the gory details.

He almost did not want to hear what came next. "He didn't make it out Ron, they overpowered him and tied him up with metal bands on a table" Harry's stomach squirmed as he thought about what came next."They then made him watch his father rape the muggleborn girl.'

On hearing this Hermione burst into tears as Ron made a retching noise "what a bastard. Harry how could you stand watching this?" Hermione and Ron exclaimed almost identically. It would have been funny to know that both of them agreed on something, at any other time thought Harry wryly. He shrugged "it's not like I could wake up, somehow I just could not come out of this vision. You know how much Ron tried to".

"I don't know if I want to even hear anymore"said Hermione and Ron nodded in assent. "This was becoming funnier" thought Harry in a small part of his mind; this was the second time they had agreed on something. But he shook himself out of that as Ron asked "is this why you woke up screaming his name?

"No Ron there is more" he said looking at his friend's disturbed countenance. "What more could there be" asked Ron. "They deemed him a traitor for going against their orders and tortured him Ron. I could hear him screaming in agony and could not do a damn thing. At one point he lost consciousness but Voldemort wanted to revive him and asked Severus Snape to do it. I don't know what happened next but Snape did something to Draco and Draco disappeared at which point I was released from the vision" he said as the words came out in a rush.

"Why didn't Snape do something if he was there…Malfoy is his favourite student after all" asked Hermione ever the voice of reason. 'I don't; think the opportunity ever came up Mione,' answered Harry 'if he had tried he would have been captured too. You forget who you are dealing with. Voldemort has no mercy, no qualms, none at all. Surely you know that.'

"What if all this is true? is Draco Malfoy even alive? What did they do to him Harry? mused Hermione and 'what if it was all false? What do we do then".?

"I don't have the answer to that Mione. I believed Dumbledore would know better and that is why I was desperate to reach him. Going by Dumbledore's patronus message he seemed to already know what I was going to say and _that_ is scarier than you can imagine. It only means that at least some of it has happened but it's not going to get us anywhere to speculate. We would know for sure only when Dumbledore comes in the morning."

Ron and Hermione did not have anything more to say as they sat in silence thinking about all that Harry had said. After what seemed an eon of silence Harry said "there's no use in thinking about it anymore guys, let's just go to bed and decide what to do after hearing what Dumbleore has to say'.

Hermione nodded "you are right Harry though I doubt that I will be able to sleep knowing what I do now. But as you say there's no use thinking about it. Good night guys, see you in the morning not that there's much of the night left". She got up and made her way to the room she shared with Ginny.

Ron turned to his own bed and sliding into it remarked "You know Harry this almost makes the git human. I didn't want to feel sorry for the jerk but if this is true even I feel bad for him".

Harry smiled in the darkness "good night Ron' he called out thinking idly about the one piece of information that he had omitted and wondered how Hermione would react if she knew.

 **Author Notes** I thank all of you out there who are following my story. You keep me going and reviews make my day. So do review with your thoughts and suggestions. I would love to hear them. Take care.


	11. Chapter 11 awareness

**Legal disclaimer** **:** Harry Potter in it's entirety belongs to J. and none other.

 **Author notes** : I thank all of you who have deemed my writing good enough to be on your alert list. It gives me the vote of confidence that I must be doing something right! Thank you again. I absolutely love the reviews that I have got and hope to see many more along this journey.

 **Chapter 11 awareness**

Hermione tossed and turned in her bed trying to get to sleep. But it seemed almost impossible as images of a hurt and wounded Draco Malfoy flitted in front of her eyelids. Somehow the image of the proud Malfoy being reduced to tears did not sit well with her. It did not seem right. Arrogance suited him, vulnerability did not. Granted it made him more human but the price was just too high. She felt something inside that she recognized as her heart melt as she relived Harry's words.

Her gut wrenched as the vision of Draco strapped down with his dead mother at his feet swam in front of her. She could not deny that she was greatly disturbed but ' _why was she so disturbed?_ Would she feel this way for everyone and anyone or was it only for Draco Malfoy?

The questions rang in her mind as she tried to convince herself that anyone in his position would elicit sympathy, _Anyone?_ A snide voice in her mind asked. Even Crabbe and Goyle? It mocked her and Hermione knew at that moment that it was not just sympathy for anyone.

It was sympathy for Draco Malfoy, the arrogant prat who had the most gorgeous silver grey eyes ever _...what?_ Wait...gorgeous silver eyes, now where did this come from?

Hermione huffed in annoyance at herself 'gorgeous silver eyes indeed' she mentally scoffed, next it would be his wonderful handsome physique I suppose her sarcastic mental self supplied. _**Whoa**_ **!** _Wait a minute..sarcastic?_ _When was she ever sarcastic_? God this was so confusing. _He_ was not even here and _she_ was going mad. This was turning out to be ridiculous. Why Oh why! did she have to feel all these things for Malfoy, _Why?_

She fought against the sympathy and sorrow that threatened to engulf her but ultimately resigned herself to the fact it was a futile effort. She could not fight or explain for that matter the sympathy and sorrow she felt at Draco's plight and it left her troubled and confused.

With a hope that all would be resolved soon she tried to get back to sleep but sleep was playing truant. With all the questions in her mind there was one thing that she knew for sure though, Draco Malfoy was not an enemy in her eyes any longer. He was a lost soul who was in need of love and sympathy.

But at the same time she knew that he would never ever accept her sympathy or affection. To him, she would be just a mudblood know it all. Those things were part of his life and there was no getting around it. It was part of being Draco Malfoy pure blood aristocrat extraordinaire.

She sighed to herself...she really should just stop thinking about Draco Malfoy and get to sleep as it would only lead to more problems. There was no point in wasting time over the prat any longer. Whatever happened he brought it upon himself she told herself but it all came out weak and feeble. Her words jarred, warring with the image of a broken soul and a broken body. Brought this upon himself? No not really ...not really...not at all...

 **Meeting with Dumbledore**

Hermione went down to breakfast to see Harry, Ron and the others already seated at the table. The Weasleys were there in full strength and the table was alive with conversation. The table was also already loaded with breakfast and the enticing aroma was wafting up to her.

She slid into the seat between Harry and Ron and served herself breakfast. Seeing the dark shadows under Harry's eyes she knew that he had not slept much either. She saw Harry looking at her own shadowed eyes with curiosity as he asked 'did you sleep well Mione?'Hermione shook her head in the negative 'how could I Harry? Your words were reverberating in my head and I could not get the images out. It was horrible. I wonder how Malfoy is doing truly' she admitted in a low tone.

Harry gave her a curious look murmuring ' hmmm' which Hermione filed away for later and turned to Ron 'gosh Ron! Those eggs are not going to disappear you know' she admonished. Ron just gave her a goofy smile back 'So did you sleep alright?' she asked him in a desperate bid to reassure herself that she was not the only one to lose sleep over Malfoy .She was however sorely disappointed when Ron replied ' why Hermione I did. "Why would I ever not? Don't tell me you lost sleep over the arrogant prat"he exclaimed.

Hermione kept quiet as she did not want to get into the discussion with the others being there. The last thing she wanted to do was get into an argument with Ron over Malfoy of all people in the _Weasley's_ house!

She turned her attention to the other Weasleys as the discussion turned to the Daily Prophet and the day's news .Soon it was a regular noisy Weasley breakfast with the twins and Ginny getting into their arguments and discussions when the floo flared to life.

Dumbledore and Severus Snape walked into the room as Molly asked graciously if they wanted to join in the breakfast .Dumbledore however declined equally graciously 'Molly I am sorry that I have missed your excellent cooking but as you all know I have something to discuss with Harry' he said looking at Harry. Harry dutifully got up to follow with Ron and Hermione in tow. Snape looked at them disdainfully and sneered 'I see that you could not wait even for a few hours before telling your friends Potter'.

Harry looked at him with rising anger but kept quiet, knowing that it was useless to explain to Snape. Whatever he said would be taken in the wrong way so he just kept quiet and followed Dumbledore and Snape out of the dining room into the parlor. Dumbledore seated himself and motioned for the others to do the same.

Once everyone was seated, he steepled his fingers and looked at Harry over his glasses 'Harry I came to understand that last night you wanted to talk to me?' Harry nodded and Dumbledore continued 'was it a vision that you saw and am I to take it that your friends already know?' Harry nodded again feeling slightly uncomfortable with the admission but Dumbledore regarded him calmly and said ' well let me not stop you then. I would also like to know what you witnessed'.

Harry cleared his throat and once again launched into the tale of what he saw in the vision. He blushed furiously as he spoke of the rape and his face took on a sad tinge as he described what he saw of Malfoy's torture. He once again omitted the fact that the muggleborn girl was transfigured as Hermione for a while and noticed the shrewd look that Snape gave him. Harry realized then that Snape was privy to the knowledge and knew that Snape would wonder as to why he didn't mention it. Knowing Snape he would probably try to tinge that with suspicion and what not.

Dumbledore however gave no indication of having recognised the fact and listened raptly as Harry finished with an ' I thought that if all that was true perhaps you would be able to rescue him Professor'. Snape gave him a narrowed look as he asked 'and pray tell me why you would want to save Mister Malfoy? I was clearly under the impression that you both are enemies.'

Harry shrugged and replied "It is true that we are not exactly friends, a little bit of enemies even but I wouldn't want him to be hurt Professor. I wouldn't ever wish for someone to be tortured or to lose their mother even if that someone was Malfoy. I know what exactly that feels like, I have been there and definitely don't want anyone else to go through what I do sir" he finished fervently. "So is it true sir" he asked tentatively "whatever I saw in my vision is it real'? he asked with trepidation.

Dumbledore heaved a sigh and replied in a heavy voice "I am afraid so Harry, when you saw Draco Malfoy disappear he didn't go anywhere else but Hogwarts. Currently he is unconscious and under the care of Madame Pomfrey. He has been injured rather heinously and it is going to be a difficult time for him ahead".

Hermione gasped and had a distressed look while Ron asked in a small voice "Sir there is one thing that I want to ask". Snape looked at him with a hint of irritation while Dumbledore looked on encouragingly "and what would that be" ? He asked in a benign voice.

"Sir I have been there, near Harry whenever he has had a vision in the past. Normally when Harry has a vision I would be able to rouse him from it but last night however hard I tried I could not bring him out of it" he said in a voice laced with agitation. Dumbledore looked at Harry enquiringly and Harry added to it "yes sir, last night...it was different .It felt like I was there, I could see everything not just flashes and I could hear everything too. I just could not do anything about it" he finished lamely.

Dumbledore had a thoughtful look while Snape flashed an alarmed look at Dumbledore as he replied "Harry you are right. There are some forces acting right now which has had an influence on your vision but I am afraid that this is not the right time to discuss it .However I assure you that when the time comes you _will_ know what is happening. All I ask is for you to be patient for some more time." "Please" he added as an afterthought.

'Harry" he continued "however there is one more matter that I feel you should know about. You might not know this as your vision was terminated when Draco was portkeyed away but there was a bit more that happened afterwards. Voldemort has hinted that there might be an attack on the Hogwarts express in an attempt to capture you".

Harry kept silent as Ron burst out "then obviously he cannot be on it professor. We can perhaps floo to Hogwarts or use a portkey right?" But Hermione, ever the thinking one intervened "no Ron" she said "then professor Snape would be seen as a traitor and he would lose his standing with Voldemort, right professor"? She asked looking at Dumbledore for confirmation.

Dumbledore nodded sadly while Ron turned a dangerous shade of red. He was now furious _"what?_ You must be kidding; you are sacrificing Harry to protect _Snape?_ How can you do this Professor? How can Snape be more important than Harry and how can you go along with this Hermione?" he shouted turning to Hermione indignantly. Snape looked at Harry expecting an outburst as well but was surprised to see the young man silent and deep in thought. Perhaps there was some merit to Potter after all he mused reluctantly.

"It's Professor Snape" Dumbledore corrected softly "while I admire your loyalty to your friend and feel extremely sad about all this I have to ask Harry what his thoughts are". He turned to Harry and asked gently "what do you say Harry? I am not going to pretend that there won't be danger or that you won't get hurt but you of all people realise the need for professor Snape to be part of Voldemort's circle. His information is very valuable and has served to save many people time and again. We need him but then this is your life that is at risk and you have every right to refuse if you feel so".

Harry remained silent thinking of his options and finally said "I understand professor. I don't mind the risk but I would not want anyone else to be hurt in all of this. Is there any way we could ensure that no one gets hurt in this?"he asked not wanting to see the look of betrayal on Ron's face.

"Thank you Harry" Dumbledore replied "this must be a difficult decision for you to make and I apologise for asking so much of you. There will be order members on the train with you, polyjuiced of course, and you will be watched at all times".

"We will take all precaution to ensure that no one gets hurt and I wish for all of you arrive safely at Hogwarts. You have to stay out of the fight and leave it to the Order members, Harry that's all I ask. But for now I have to get back to Hogwarts and I hope to see you there soon. In the meantime I would appreciate it if this remains within the three of you for the time being."

The three of them nodded their understanding letting Dumbledore's words sink in. They sat deep in thought as Snape and Dumbledore walked back to the living room and said their farewells before stepping through the floo.

 **Hogwarts**

Hardly had Snape and Dumbledore stepped into Dumbledore's quarters than Snape turned to Dumbledore "Albus what was that all about? What the hell happened with Potter and his damned vision? Do you know why he was pulled into it like that"? He demanded.

"Severus, consider the scenario. Why should this vision be different at all? Why should it be that he is not able to come out of it? Why now? Why not all these days? Does it not strike you that there is some other force guiding the vision"? Dumbledore asked calmly.

"Merlin! Old man! Do you mean the prophecy Albus?" He asked with a stunned expression on his face. "Are you saying that the prophecy has started? Is it to do with Potter after all"? he demanded in a shocked and disgusted voice."Doesn't he have enough importance as it is?' He sneered with sheer dislike on his face.

"One born of light and one born of dark" Dumbledore quoted solemnly "isn't the prophecy becoming clearer to you Severus?" Dumbledore asked with a smile. "Of course I could be wrong but we have to wait for some more time before I can be sure that it is the prophecy at play. At this time all I have are strong suspicions but then you cannot deny that my suspicions do have an uncanny way of becoming true. If it does, Severus then this might be what turns the tide of this war".

Severus let out a breath and nodded thinking over the words and what it entailed. Finally he got up "Fine if that's the way events are going to play out let them but now I will have to look in on Draco Albus .If you need me for anything I will be in the hospital wing" he said and walked out of the room. Dumbledore sat deep in thought "one born of darkness and one born of light indeed". Now only time will point out the one born of loyalty and the one born of nothing.

 **Hospital wing**

Severus Snape strode into the hospital wing and headed to the far end where Draco lay behind the curtains of his bed. He walked softly up to the bed and looked sorrowfully at his godson's countenance. His wrists lay heavily bandaged as was his torso and he lay still and pale. A wave of anger coursed through Severus as he thought about the events that had led to Draco's presence here in the hospital wing.

He gently laid his hand on Draco's forehead and brushed back the lock of silky hair that had fallen loose. "Such an innocent face" mused Severus but at the same time shadowed by so much violence. Yes the road to healing was fraught with many challenges but Severus would be there to pick him up when he falls.

He noticed the way Draco unconsciously leaned into his touch and a deep sorrow filled him. A child who should have had his mother and father at his bedside, but now alone and abandoned. How much was this war going to take from everyone he wondered angrily.

Shaking his head and refusing to let the sorrow overwhelm him Severus conjured a chair and sat by Draco's side in time to see Poppy Pomfrey come in. She saw Severus and walked up to him "when did you come in Severus? Is there any change?" She enquired

'Where were you woman?" Severus snapped "don't you know that he might be in danger and you can't leave him alone"? Poppy shushed him "I just stepped out for a minute Severus and besides I have placed charms on his bed that will alert me if he wakes up. So relax. I have been here more years than you can imagine young man and don't presume to tell me how to do my job" she snapped back.

"Sorry Poppy, I am just worried" said Severus contritely. "He might very well be a target of the death eaters now" .Poppy shook her head sadly "did the death eaters do this Severus" she asked ? "Yes I am afraid so, but please don't ask for more poppy it's better that you don't know. 'When will he wake up by the way?' Severus asked.

'It could be anytime now' she replied 'but feel free to stay. The child must be in so much pain and it will help to see a familiar face when he wakes up. I will be in my office so if you need anything I am just around the corner' she said and strode to her office.

Severus sat by Draco's side and gently took his hand in his. He dint know how long he sat there lost in his thoughts before he felt the fingers in his hand twitch ever so slightly.

He looked down to see Draco struggling to open his eyes against the bright lights in the hospital wing. Severus immediately waved his wand to reduce the brightness so that it may help Draco.' Draco my child ' he called softly 'do you hear me? Can you try to wake up?'

Slowly Draco's eyes flit open as he struggled to focus his bleary eyes. The molten grey eyes were glazed over with pain and confusion as he looked at Severus. 'Uncle Severus?' He called in a weak whisper as recognition dawned in his eyes."Yes Draco. How do you feel son"responded Severus gently in a voice that no one would ever associate with Severus Snape.

Draco didn't respond as he took in his surroundings. His eyes lost their confusion and became clearer in their focus. Soon they were filled with a deep pain... "Mum" he said softly his eyes filling with unshed tears...' "She's really dead isn't she"? he asked in a tear filled voice. "What am I going to do Uncle Severus. I don't have anyone now"...he asked his voice breaking down with sorrow.

"No dragon, you are not alone, never alone. Never think that. I am there for you and will be always there for you" Severus said fiercely. "Yes I agree that your life will be different from now on and might seem impossibly hard to bear right now but trust me. Things will get better and what do you know it might even bring bigger and better things in the future. Just concentrate on getting better now and leave the rest to its course you understand?. You need to focus on getting better. Now tell me are you in pain?"

Draco opened his mouth to respond when Pomfrey bustled in carrying a tray of potions. "I see that you are back with us. You gave us quite a scare you know" she said with a smile as she started her diagnostic spells. "Your body has been under terrible stress, and it needs to rest. You need to start building your strength again. Now, do you think you can eat something right now?"

Draco shook his head in the negative. With the memories of his mother playing on his mind not few minutes ago the thought of food was nauseating. Pomfrey sighed and continued with her instructions "then I will simply add a nutritive potion to your pain potion and your strengthening potion for now but this cannot be done in the long run ok?" She said kindly and proceeded to administer the potions. She turned to Severus "can you help lifting him Severus?" she asked cordially.

Severus slipped an arm under Draco's shoulders and helped him to sit up a bit while Poppy fluffed the pillows behind him. Draco then numbly took the potions under the watchful eyes of his godfather before he became drowsy again. Severus helped him to lie down once more and smoothed the sheets over him and said "sleep Draco. It will help you heal. I will be right beside you. You are safe now. You are home. Go to sleep"

Draco hovered at the edge of consciousness as his godfather's words dimly filtered in. He was not aware of the words only the comforting tones as he drifted again into the world of a drug induced sleep.

·


	12. Chapter 12 The real and the ethereal

**Legal disclaimer:** All of Harry Potter belongs to J. and this is just playing with her creation.

 **Author notes :** I thank all of you wonderful readers who have made me a part of your alert list. Reviews have given me the will to continue and this is a toast to all the wonderful people out there who have messaged me with kind words. Thanks and looking forward to hearing from you. Hope to see you all with me till the end of this fascinating journey. Happy Christmas and tada..

 **A note of warning for language….stay warned and onto the story.**

 **Chapter 12 the real and the ethereal**

Draco had landed in the great hall with a thud but he was already unconscious and had no cognizance of his surroundings. All he saw was a bright white light that pervaded his conscious. He was engulfed in the bliss and did not want to come out of it even when he vaguely felt other hands on his body.

The white light was a refuge from the overwhelming pain emanating from his hands and torso. He was floating in the peaceful white light and imagined that he saw his mother. She was just as he saw her last, beautiful and elegant and still clad in the fine blue dress that brought out the blue of her eyes. 'Mom ' he tried calling out to her but found that he had no voice. He could however hear her words as she spoke to him in her melodious voice.

She had glided up to him...but why was she gliding? Didn't only ghosts glide? His subconscious mind asked in befuddlement. She came up to him and laid her hand on his forehead. Oh it was so soothing...he just wanted to eternally stay within the confines of that touch forever.' 'Mom 'he tried calling again.

'Darling', she said in an ethereal voice. 'Darling listen to me...you are in a safe place now. I know you are hurting sweetheart, but believe me it will get better. Use this time to tap into your strength for you will become powerful.

Learn to open your heart and let in those who you spurned earlier. They will be there for you as friends as supporters and as your strength itself. Heal now my Draco and realise that you are the stronger for this' she said before starting to fade away slowly.

'Mom, don't go. Don't leave me…I need you' Draco called out desperately in his mind extending his hand in a vain attempt to reach out to her. He did not want her to go away. He wanted to hold on to her as long as possible. He could not accept the fact that she was gone. His mother had been so real, so rooted in reality, that he could not imagine a world without her.

As the whiteness started to recede, he slowly became aware of a somewhat more earthly light. This light was impinging on his eyelids forcing him to come to the present. Suddenly the light dimmed and he mentally thanked the person responsible for dimming the harsh light.

As he struggled to find the comforting white light again he was concomitantly becoming aware of other things. He felt other hands on his body and became cognizant of the pain radiating from his hand and body.

Every part of his body was in pain and he squirmed trying to get away from it all. He heard a soothing deep voice call out to him and he could no longer escape the bright light. He could not ignore that voice. It was calling him back to earth and it held love and affection. He didn't know how he knew that but he simply did.

He slowly opened his eyes to see Severus Snape hovering over him with a worried expression on his face. As he became more aware of reality, the image of his mom simultaneously faded from his consciousness. As much as he wanted to hold on to the image he knew that he could not. Reality came crashing down as he realised that his mother would never come back. She was gone truly and irrevocable gone.

He looked at Severus and could not help the despair flooding into him. In his weakened state the tears came swift and fast as he clung onto his godfather, broken and in pain.

He heard Poppy Pomfrey come in at that moment and it felt as though he was in a fog through which he could not see clearly. Dimly he felt the potions sliding down his throat and looked forward to going back into the white world. He welcomed the sleep that offered him a safe haven and refuge from this harsh world.

 **Severus's PoV**

Severus Snape looked sadly at his godson when he felt his mark burn with a vengeance. Damn it! In all the events of the last night he had forgotten that the dark lord had asked him to come back with information. He knew that he would be paying for this lapse but the dark lord could very well go to hell when it was his godson that needed him.

He had to answer the summons but not before asking someone to be with Draco. Rapidly he sent a patronus to Dumbledore informing him about the summons as well as asking him to be at Draco's bedside until he returned. Seeing the graceful doe streak away and knowing that Draco would be in Dumbledore's capable hands, he once again transfigured his robes to that of a death eater and disapparated away.

He arrived once more in the manor to see the circle once again assembled. Voldemort turned red eyes to him and hissed ' Severus we have been waiting for you to arrive with pertinent information. But I would have thought that you would have brought it much before the summons ...and now you have to face the punishment for not doing your duty' .He lifted his wand in Severus's direction and Severus prepared himself for what he knew would follow. The cruciatus brought him to his knees as the pain burned and coursed through him.

After the longest couple of minutes the cruciatus was let up and Severus gritted his teeth and rose slowly.' My lord, please pardon my mistake. Draco Malfoy is indeed at Hogwarts' he said sneaking a look at Lucius Malfoy. The elder Malfoy however stood stiff and erect without any sign of having heard the discussion on his son.

'The pendant was a portkey as you suspected my lord, created by Dumbledore. Draco Malfoy is now a ward of Albus Dumbledore and under his blood wards my lord. I endeavored to get away earlier but I could not without arousing his suspicion. After all Dumbledore needs his potions master at a time like this. I am sorry that I could not do better my lord' he said bowing low.

Voldemort's thoughtful expression slowly turned to one of suppressed fury as he realised that Draco had escaped his clutches. 'Severus he hissed 'I wonder, why would Draco Malfoy be carrying a portkey in the first place? Was he not loyal to us at all? He raged.

Severus I need you to find out what you can about that and also find out how we can get around the blood wards as soon as possible. I want Draco Malfoy back here where he belongs' he declared with an evil expression playing on his face.

Severus clenched his teeth fighting to keep the anger from showing on his face. He kept his face bent forward with his hair swinging in front as a shield hoping to regain his equanimity soon. The bastard actually wanted Draco back...the injustice of it enraged Severus.

'Not as long as I am alive' he thought to himself as he looked up with his mask intact into Voldemort's face.' Yes my lord I will strive to do better. Forgive me for saying this my lord, but wouldn't it have been better if Narcissa Malfoy was here? he asked tentatively. Lucius shot him a sharp look at that but refrained from saying anything.

'I am sure she would have been able to help us in Draco's matter' Severus continued in a desperate bid to find out what had been done with Narcissa's body which was nowwhere in the vicinity.

'You dare question me Severus', shouted Voldemort. the pest of a woman had to be put down you very well know and she is resting peacefully in the Malfoy grounds as she should .Lucius has seen to that being the dutiful husband he is' he sneered. Severus looked at Lucius hoping to see some kind of emotion on the aristocratic face but Lucius simply looked ahead refusing to acknowledge his gaze."How the mighty have fallen' thought Severus ruefully.

But he was rudely brought out of his musing by Voldemort's barking voice 'Now stop questioning me and get on with your work' he said annoyance in his face. 'Yes my lord, please forgive my ignorance ' said Severus seething inward at the groveling that he was forced to do.

'Now on with what we have gathered to discuss' continued Voldemort. 'The Hogwarts express will be going to Hogwarts day after tomorrow. My nemesis the boy-who-lived' he spat with intense hatred will be on it. Your job is to make sure that Harry Potter is alive and in front of me at the end of the ride.'

'I depute Bellatrix, Avery and Nott to do the job. Know this, I need Harry Potter in front of me on that day and I will not tolerate mistakes. Severus I know that as a teacher of Hogwarts you will be on the train and obliged to play a role so you are spared from active participation. But you _will e_ nsure that the rest of the team gets on the train and has access to Potter' he declared imperiously.

'I assume that each one of you understand the significance and will act accordingly. The meeting is now dismissed. You may go and Severus the next time we meet I expect you to deliver good news. I may not be as merciful as I was today.

"Thank you master' Severus murmured dutifully as the rest of them chorused 'yes master' and walked to the apparition point and disapparated away. Severus immediately made his way to the hospital wing from the gates where he had appeared to find Albus Dumbledore seated by Draco s bedside.

Hearing Severus's footsteps Dumbledore turned to look at him with an appraising glance. Severus knew what he was looking for ' I am fine Albus. The last couple of times were comparatively easy to manage he said.' he looked at Draco s sleeping form and asked ' how is he Albus? Did he awake?

Dumbledore conjured another chair for Severus and said ' no Severus he has been sleeping, although it is no longer unconsciousness. He will regain his full consciousness soon Severus and he will be the stronger for it. Please don't worry"

He once again waved his wand, casting a silencing spell before asking ' so what did Voldemort want Severus? Severus shook his head ' the monster wants to know how to get around the blood wards, he wants to get to Draco again Albus. I cannot deny that I am worried, what if he does get around the wards? He questioned with worry reflected in his obsidian eyes.

Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder and said calmly ' don't worry Severus. Draco will be safe here. We will do whatever it takes to keep him safe. What else did he say Severus? Did he talk more about the Hogwarts express?

'Yes Albus, he is _definitely_ sending his men to capture Potter. I am supposed to help them get to Potter even if I don't actively participate. I have no idea how I am going to do that. Blast Potter! He's nothing but trouble. How do we work around this Albus? What do you plan on doing to counter this? He asked.

'The order members will be on the train Severus, only they will be taking the place of Harry and his friends. Once the attack starts Harry will have to be hidden somewhere on the train or portkeyed to Hogwarts while the order fights in his place. The order members will take polyjuice and fight as Harry and his friends. I hope that we have enough polyjuice in stock' he said giving Severus a meaningful look.

'Of course we have enough polyjuice. I keep my brews ready as if you don't know that already .But I have to ask, if we are going to use a portkey why wait until the attack, why not much earlier? why can't just the order members be on the train while Potter gets portkeyed here straight? He need not even board the train at all. Besides would a portkey work on a moving object Albus? Severus questioned.

Dumbledore sighed "so many questions Severus? He asked wryly before answering 'unfortunately Severus the integrity of all order members might not be the best .if Harry was not on the train and the news somehow gets to Voldemort it would not be good news for us will be especially bad news for you and I don't want to face a situation of compromising you. It's a risk that I don't want to take.'

'So in effect you are choosing me over the golden boy? I am touched Albus 'said Severus sarcastically. 'But how are you going to keep the order members hidden until the attack starts?'

'Both of you are important to me Severus but the circumstances decide the action. Ideally I would not want anyone to be injured at all but life is hardly idealistic. To answer your question however the order members will be under a disillusion charm until the need arises.

Hopefully we can get them all here safe and sound .Now Severus I know that you must be having a hard time of it, go to your quarters and rest. We will discuss the nitty gritty of this later. I will call you when Draco wakes. Go my child. Go rest' he urged.

Severus sighed in defeat and once again his gaze drifted to the pale and injured form of his godson. He brushed his hand against Draco's forehead and murmured a slight ' get well dragon' before leaving for the dungeons.

 **At the burrow**

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in silence assimilating what Dumbledore had said. Suddenly Ron turned to Harry ' Harry why did you agree to this stupid plan? What if you get hurt or one of us does? Is it worth it just to save that greasy git.?for all you know he might be selling us out to Voldemort and setting the stage to get you out of the scene .He hates you ,we all know that 'he ranted.

Harry sat in silence ' Ron that is not completely true. Yes he hates me but he has also saved my life in the past. As much as I hate to say it, he is the only insider we have in Voldemort's circle. What if in the future one of us is captured and we don't have anyone to help us? He might be a greasy git Ron but he is answerable to Dumbledore. Granted that he hates me, but if in any circumstance I am captured he will be obligated to save me at least on Dumbledore's orders. We cannot afford to lose that possibility based on personal prejudice.'

Hermione beamed and enthusiastically nodded ' you are right Harry. This makes so much sense. In any case I am sure the order will be on the train and we will be protected. We will have to trust Dumbledore on this. Ron come on don't be such a spoil sport. We will be together and we will be safe '. 'If you say so ' agreed Ron grumpily.

 **Hogwarts**

Back at Hogwarts Dumbledore sat deep in thought. It had been a couple of hours since Severus Snape had retired to his quarters for some rest. In the meantime Albus Dumbledore had conjured himself a comfortable cushion sofa by Draco's bedside and sat waiting to see some sign of life in the young boy. He was not disappointed as Draco started stirring soon.

Dumbledore saw that Draco had opened his eyes and was looking at him blearily. Dumbledore leaned forward ' how are you feeling Draco? He asked solicitously. Draco on his part was more awake than the last time he had regained consciousness and looked at Dumbledore.' I am much better professor' he rasped out.

His throat was dry and Dumbledore seeing this, immediately conjured a glass of water. He then slid and arm under Draco and helped him sit up while propping the pillows under him. Dumbledore held the glass to his lips and Draco drank the water greedily as it slid down his parched throat.

It felt weird to be helped by a man whom he had regarded for many days as an old fool, .but being so near him he now felt the power radiating from him. For the first time he saw the man as the vanquisher of Grindelwald rather than as just the headmaster of a school. But he had more urgent issues on his mind.

'Sir' he spoke softly ' where is Uncle Severus?' he asked.' 'He was summoned after you slept Draco', Dumbledore responded 'but don't worry' added Dumbledore on seeing the alarm on Draco's face. 'He was summoned, he continued but he was not hurt.' Draco breathed a sigh of relief. At this point of time Severus was really the only relative he had and he was not sure if he could handle seeing him hurt.

'He is currently resting in his quarters' Dumbledore continued. He has also made me promise that I will let him know when you awake so I will do just that.' Saying thus he conjured his patronus and sent it to Severus Snape with the message that Draco was awake.

'He will be here soon Draco, in the meantime is there anything I can help you with? I know from what Severus told me that you have been subjected to a great deal of stress and hardships in the last couple of days. I am very sorry for your loss Draco but please do not feel alone in all of this. You can talk to me at any time and I will try to assist you through this. I know that you have not felt like approaching me in the past but I hope that will change in the time to come'.

Draco blushed at the knowing twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes but he was interrupted by the sound of Severus Snape coming in. He was soon followed by Poppy Pomfrey whose charms had alerted her to Draco being awake but had waited to give Dumbledore and the young Malfoy some privacy.

Now seeing Severus come in she followed him to Draco's bed and started running her diagnostics again.' The rest is doing you good ' she said. 'The wrists had been badly damaged but are now on the mend. It will take some more time for it to be back to normal but eventually it will. The flesh wound is well on the way to healing but there might be some slight scarring' she said sorrowfully.

'As for your chest wounds' she continued 'they are something else altogether'. They are cursed wounds . The wound will heal over time but there might be some remnants of the curse attached to it. I cannot say how it will manifest at this point or if we are lucky it might not manifest at all but the sad news is that those scars will not go away. Overall however your prognosis is good but the question is how do _you_ feel? She asked.

Draco's face became shadowed at her words and he replied in a dull voice ' I am fine madam Pomfrey. I feel better than before. Thank you ' he said. Poppy turned to Severus and said ' Severus if you can tell me more about these wounds later it will help with the treatment. I will speak to you about it alright? Severus nodded in the affirmative but these words rang a bell in Draco's mind.

'Talking about wounds uncle Severus, there was one thing which I wanted to ask you 'Draco interrupted ' What Draco? What do you want to ask? Severus responded'

Draco had a thoughtful look on his face ' When I tried to fight my way out of the manor and I had to battle almost everyone there, I noticed that many of the spells, in fact most of them did not even touch me. Were you protecting me in any way? How did that happen? He asked.

'No Draco, I did not. I wished that I could but I was watched very closely and could not do much. Sorry dragon.' He then turned to Dumbledore and asked ' do you have an explanation for this? He demanded seeing the mad twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes.

Dumbledore smiled ' Draco I assume that your mother stepped in front of you to defend you right? Both Severus and Draco nodded while Dumbledore smiled more widely ' in that instant you were protected by your mother's love Draco. She sacrificed herself for you. It is ancient magic and it might protect you from harm in the time to come. We will have to wait and see how it plays out but this is the idea of it.'

' Great one more thing in common with Potter' muttered Severus in an undertone while Dumbledore gave him a sharp look. Draco curiously wondered what it was about and wowed to ask about it later. However at the mention of his mother he had more pressing questions on his mind.

'What happened to my mother's body professor?' He asked his voice breaking in distress'. Severus moved forward and laid a hand on Draco's shoulder spreading warmth in the contact 'she has been laid to rest in the Malfoy manor grounds, I am sorry Draco' he said.

Seeing the distress on Draco's face Pomfrey who had been listening silently, broke into the conversation.' you need to eat something my child' she said kindly. I will get some food for you and get some more potions for you. After that it is more rest and hopefully you will be on your feet soon. Now do you think you can get in some chicken broth inside you?

Draco nodded still disturbed but grateful for the diversion and watched Poppy Pomfrey summon a bowl of soup and place it on a tray across his legs. She then conjured a soup spoon that hovered in the air that started to feed Draco. Blushing at being fed, Draco was however grateful that it was not a person doing it. That would have been utterly mortifying.

Instinctively reading the play of emotions on his face Poppy said kindly ' , it is not a shame to seek help from others. It is actually a strength in being able to recognise our own limitations when the situation calls for it. So please don't feel ashamed to ask for help, after all we are not strangers and we care for your wellbeing. By saying we, I do mean your godfather and Albus as well. I am sure I can speak for them in this matter.'

'Thank you madam Pomfrey' responded Draco ' and please call me Draco. I do not want to be associated with my father any more than necessary' he said softly. 'As you wish Draco. Now take your potions' she said pouring the healing potions into his mouth. As the potions began to take effect Draco became steadily more tired until his eyes started closing of their own accord.

Severus silently covered him with the blankets and motioned for Dumbledore to follow him out .After all they had to prepare for the next encounter with the dark lord and their plan had to be in place.


	13. Chapter 13 Slytherin

**Disclaimer :** All the characters of Harry Potter including Draco belong to J. .

 **Author notes** : As always I am grateful to all those of you out there who think that my writing is good. Thank you for the vote of confidence. I also look forward to more reviews and your thoughts on the story. Good, bad, ugly? Let me know. I want to know it all!

And hope to see you all in the year to come, here's wishing each one of you a very happy new year.

A slight warning for mild language. Now onto chapter 13.

 **Chapter 13 Slytherin**

Severus Snape entered Dumbledore's office and took a seat opposite the wizened wizard. Dumbledore called out for the house elf to bring in some tea. The wizards sat in silence holding the steaming cups of the earl grey.

'So Albus, what is your plan of action? asked Severus Snape breaking the silence. 'Knowing the way the death eaters operate, I believe they will board on the train midway through the journey. I anticipate that they will be carrying a portkey which they will use to transport Potter to the dark lord'.

'Yes Severus, I agree that seems to be likely. When the train stops, that will be the signal for the order members to transform into Harry and his friends. I was wondering if in the meantime Harry can be shifted into another compartment that is safe from death eater attack?' he asked meaningfully with a twinkle in his eye.

Severus looked up; taken aback " ** _What_** _?_ you don't mean the Slytherin compartment surely?'He asked in disbelief. 'Why yes I do' replied Dumbledore his eyes twinkling even more brightly.

'You are mad, you know. Totally and completely mad. Harry Potter in Slytherin, he will be slaughtered." Severus objected, but even as he voiced his dissent, his mind acknowledged the deviousness of the plan. No one would think of looking for Harry Potter in Slytherin, the plan had merit he had to admit.

'Really, Severus? You think it would not work? Dumbledore asked lightly already knowing the answer. 'No, the plan has merit I agree', Severus bit out 'but the students might not react well to the presence of Potter in their midst especially when some of their parents are death eaters in themselves. Have you considered that'? He questioned.

'Hmm yes the thought did cross my mind but what if Harry and his friends are in turn polyjuiced to resemble someone else? What if they are made to resemble , and instead? I am sure that the real and company can be easily managed' he said with a smile.

Not many could claim to have seen expressions play on Severus's face but right now he could not stop the flash of surprise and disbelief on his face. "You are one devious man Albus Dumbledore; perhaps the sorting hat made a mistake. It should have placed you in Slytherin you know. Yes the plan might work. I can always call aside , and for a word while sending and his cronies into the Slytherin compartment. Yes this could work ...' he mused thoughtfully.

"But there is one hitch that I foresee Albus, it all hinges on precise timing. I cannot afford to make the switch once the attack starts, that will be cutting it too fine. I will have to make the switch a little in advance.' Severus said thinking aloud.

"So you think that we can go ahead with the plan?' Dumbledore asked hopefully to which Severus nodded his assent. 'By the way Severus, you have a point'; Dumbledore continued 'it does hinge on timing and making the switch beforehand does make sense'.

But what about the hairs required for the polyjuice Severus? Dumbledore questioned. 'We can easily acquire Harry's but what about the Slytherin's? he asked.

"Don't worry about that Albus,Severus replied, 'I have some hairs of all Slytherin students with suspected death eater connections. I had envisioned a use for myself someday if things get ugly but now they will come in handy. You don't realize how much cleaning a potions lab will yield do you? He said sardonically.'

Dumbledore heaved a sigh of relief "Bless your fore sightedness Severus, now I think I will have to make a brief visit to the Burrow to acquire the essentials of Harry and his friends. In the meantime do you think it will be useful for you to let and the others know about this in advance so that your cover stays intact?'

"No, Albus that will not be necessary' Severus said with a shake of his head. 'No one will question my actions as they will be seen as being protective in nature. I will merely tell them that it would be better if they are not in the same place as their fathers right then. To do so in advance will be counterproductive. It would look too contrived'

"Then I will leave you to your devices and get started on my own meeting. Take care Severus' Albus said getting up and heading to the floo.

"Make sure to tell the brat to do as I say and stay out of the way for once. I do not need him to botch this up' Severus called out in turn making his way out the door toward his quarters.

 **The Burrow**

Dumbledore regally walked out the door to find the trio gathered around a game of exploding snap. Spotting Dumbledore they got to their feet "Hello professor" Harry called out at the same that Molly walked in having heard the whoosh of the floo.

"Hello Albus, here to talk to Harry again?' she asked. "If it is not too much of a trouble Molly' replied Dumbledore looking at the three of them. 'So shall we Harry? He asked motioning for the three of them to follow as he walked into the adjoining room. The three of them exchanged glances as they followed Dumbledore into the room as the door swung closed with wards on them.

"Is this about the Hogwarts express, Professor?' asked Harry getting right to the point.

'Yes Harry, replied Dumbledore 'what was a possibility of an attack is now a certainty. We anticipate that the train will be stopped midway and ambushed. To be completely honest, we expect a fair number of death eaters to be on board and we definitely expect a confrontation.'

"For this reason we have come up with certain precautionary measures' he continued. 'To put it simply, certain order members will be on board and they will fight in your place."

"But Professor"…Harry started to object immediately but fell silent as Dumbledore held up his hand "hear me out Harry and then I will be happy to listen to you' he said while Harry reluctantly held his silence.

"Yes, the order members will transform into the three of you using polyjuice potion and fight the death eaters in your place. In the meantime you three will have to move into the Slytherin carriage disguised as Slytherins. Professor Snape will help in the transition and I request that you co operate with him".

"No professor, I am sorry, I can't do this'. Harry objected vehemently 'I cannot agree to a plan where someone else can get injured in my place. It's me they want Sir, and I don't want to see anyone else get injured or die because of me" he said heatedly.

"Besides we cannot go into the Slytherin compartment Sir, they hate us. We will just stay and fight Sir; we are as much involved in this war as any of the others. After all we have faced them before and if we have managed earlier we can do so again. Even you cannot deny that Sir' Harry ranted desperately. The prospect of having another life on his conscience was not something he wanted.

"Listen to me Harry' Dumbledore broke into Harry's rant. 'I can understand what you are saying but right now you are not at the level where you can duel death eaters. You are not ready yet. Taking them on will only make the situation even more complicated" he said forcefully.

Harry looked up still not convinced as Dumbledore continued "To answer your question you forget that I mentioned that you _will_ be disguised as Slytherins. You three will not go into the Slytherin compartment as yourselves. You three will go as , and .'

He paused dramatically as his words rang in the room. The silence was deafening and he waited for the outburst that was sure to come. True to form Ron burst out. ' ** _What?_** You must be kidding. Crabbe,Nott and Goyle? We will never be able to pull it off" he ranted pacing frantically while Harry had a gobsmacked expression on his face.

Even Hermione looked taken aback at this revelation and was trying vainly to gather her wits about her. For once she was too stunned to even ask any questions. "Those three?' Harry echoed weakly with a shake of his head.

"But then I believe you already did this once back in your second year" said Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eyes. Ron stopped pacing and exchanged an alarmed look with the others, blushing a bright red.

Harry and Hermione fidgeted uneasily and blushed in tandem with Ron before tentatively asking "If we are going to be Crabbe, Goyle and Nott, then what happens to _them_ Sir?" Hermione wondered.

Hermione had realized that to oppose the plan right now might not work very well especially in view of their foray into the Slytherin dungeons earlier. She subtly sought to divert the attention from that part of the conversation and Dumbledore understood the ploy for what it was.

Taking advantage in the reduction of the arguments Dumbledore pressed on "Miss Granger that is not your concern at the moment, Professor Snape will see to that. Now can I ask the three of you to part with some hairs so that I can set things in motion?' he asked in a voice that brooked no argument.

Seeing that they had no other alternative, reluctantly the three of them reached for some strands of their hair and handed them over to Dumbledore. Dumbledore in turn deposited them in three covers bearing each of their names."Sir, how do we know that Professor Snape is trustworthy? He hates me, how do we know that he really will help us ' asked Harry in a desperate bid to get Dumbledore to change the plan once more, unwilling to let go easily.

The irony of the situation was not lost on him as he remembered reassuring Ron of the exact same thing the previous day.

But right now Dumbledore merely looked slightly annoyed as he said "I do trust Professor Snape and the reasons are not for you to know. Just know that he will definitely help you. He does not hate you Harry' he said aware of the disbelief etched on the three faces.

"I also ask you to please trust me on this Harry; this really is the best option. Now I must return to Hogwarts but I would like to tell you one more thing. Everyone in the order makes their own decisions and you Harry,are definitely not responsible for them'.

'They are the adults Harry, let them be. Let them do their duty as _they_ see fit. Now don't worry about this. We are there to help and I _will_ see you three at the welcoming feast.' Dumbledore then walked out the door and made his way to the floo after making his farewell to .

Once Dumbledore had gone, the three friends looked at each other. The implications of the train ride started sinking in. "This is insane, completely insane' Harry burst out 'those evil gits are after me, this is something I am used to, something I have to live with. This is not anyone else's fight but mine. For God's sake they only want me. I don't want even you to be there let alone others.

'Ron, Mione ,I hate this. I am so sick of this you know. I really don't want anyone else's death on my hands. Enough people have been hurt already. Sometimes I wish that the bastard would just die already and leave me alone'...he said to no one in particular.

"We know Harry" Hermione said comfortingly placing a hand on his back 'believe me we know, but what choice do we have? It's not like we can come up with an alternative. Dumbledore unfortunately is right Harry, at least this time he is. You are definitely not ready and I don't want to lose you. So please listen to the man Harry, for your own sake" she pleaded.

Ron who was silent all this while chipped in "That is true Harry, how much ever this stinks and how much ever I don't like this plan, I don't want to lose you either mate. I mean imagine being all fat and lumpy, not to mention be the dumbest gits on the whole planet for God knows how long! he said with a smirk."

Harry and Hermione could not control their laughter at the mental image and burst out smiling. Ron continued the charade "Imagine going Yes Draco and no Draco all the time …haven't really heard them say anything else you know. Do you think we would have to do the same while impersonating them?" he asked laughing.

Harry and Hermione whose laughter subsided into smiles grew sober at the mention of Draco Malfoy.

"You know it's going to be weird not having him on the train." Said Hermione.

"Who are you talking about Mione ? asked Ron with a blank look "who's not going to be on the train?". 'Draco Malfoy" answered Hermione in a soft voice.

'Come on Hermione, It's not going to be weird without him, it's going to be peaceful" retorted Ron."Right mate?" he asked turning to Harry.

"Yes Ron it is rather a relief not to be dueling anybody even before reaching Hogwarts but then it's also weird because it has almost become a ritual" Harry paused

"Every year he makes it a point to cross our paths and this year it feels weird to know that he is not going to be around".

"In any case I hope that this scheme of Dumbledore works. When do you think Snape will make the switch?' He wondered idly.

"Everything depends on timing Harry. Professor Snape cannot afford to do it all at the time of the attack so I assume that he will do it earlier".

"Yeah that makes sense" concurred Harry when the door opened and Molly Weasley came in. "Children why don't you wash up and come for lunch" she called out.

"Yes " Harry called out "we will be right there". He then looked at the others "guys let's head out and after lunch perhaps we should practice some spells before packing?" he asked with an enquiring look.

"Yeah let's do that Harry" concurred Hermione as the three of them headed down to the dining hall.

 **Snape's quarters**

Severus Snape sat nursing a rare glass of firewhisky. He had not touched firewhisky during the day for as long as he could remember but the recent events had been nerve wracking. What with Draco lying injured in the hospital wing and the Dark lord planning an attack on the Hogwarts express it had been one hell of a week.

Thinking about Dumbledore's plan Severus once again realized that _everything_ depended on the timing. There were so many variables involved that anything could go wrong. He just hoped that Potter would not act the complete Gryffindor and be sensible for once. Damn the brat!

Severus took a sip of the firewhisky thinking wryly of how only a Potter could drive him to firewhisky but a small fair part of his mind reminded him that the Dark Lord could do so too. Severus shook his head…funny how the two were becoming inexorably linked in Severus's mind.

However it was time for him to stop dwelling on Potter and look in on Draco. He sighed and got up replacing his glass on the table and made his way out the door.

 **The hospital wing**

It had been a few days now that Draco had been in the hospital wing. He was still fuzzy and kept slipping into a drug induced sleep every now and then. But he was also steadily becoming better and regaining his strength. His periods of staying awake were lengthening and it was in one of these bouts that Severus Snape walked in.

"Draco, good to see you awake. How do you feel now?"he asked with concern. 'I am fine Uncle Severus' responded Draco. Severus looked at his godson and noted that he did look better indeed. His colour was better and his eyes were no longer clouded.

Severus brushed back the hair from Draco's eyes while Draco followed him with his eyes. "Uncle where is my wand?" he asked in a voice that said that it had been on his mind for some time now and that he had been itching to ask the question for a while.

Clearly he expected the worst but there was no help for it. "I am sorry dragon, it was lost at Malfoy Manor. I could not retrieve it. Perhaps we could go to Diagon Alley at a later point and get another one.' Severus responded softly.

Worry and fear clouded Draco's eyes as he assimilated the crushing news. Even if he had known that this was a distinct possibility he had not wanted to believe it. Now having heard it from Severus he felt crushed.

"What would I do until then Severus? he whispered. Would the new wand even work as well as my earlier one did?' He asked afraid to know the answer.

"Do not lose hope Draco, this is a merely a stumbling block. We will get over it. Besides this might be a blessing in disguise as it will give you an opportunity to learn wandless magic. That might wind up giving you a tremendous advantage and power over time, my child" Severus said calmly.

"Do not worry Draco, I am there to help and better things are around the corner. After all it is the darkest before the brightest light" he said aloud while thinking that he was beginning to sound like Dumbledore in his head.

The same thought appararently flashed through Draco's head as he smiled and remarked "Severus do you even know what you sounded like?' He asked with a shudder.

Severus returned the look and coughed in embarrassment "that does not leave this room you understand?' He said in his customary silky tone but with a smile underlining it.

Both of them remained in comfortable silence as Poppy Pomfrey came in, having heard Snape's voice. Severus turned to her "So how is he coming along Poppy?' he asked.

"He is coming along fine Severus; of course some residual pain will be there given the severity of the wounds but it is only a matter of time. The chest wounds have not acted up in any way so far, so I count it as good news. It will help if you can research the nature of the wound and give your inputs later Severus'.

"I will do that Poppy, just give me some time so that everything gets back to normal' he requested.

"Why Severus, do you expect any more trouble?' asked Poppy with a hint of worry.

"Yes Poppy there is one more thing, but I am not sure it will be wise to divulge it. But then on the other hand it might be a good thing for you to be prepared in case the necessity arises."

Poppy looked at him keenly as he explained "The Dark Lord has planned an attack on the Hogwarts Express tomorrow. The headmaster has planned for the event and if all goes well there might not be any casualties. In fact we hope that is the case but there is also the possibility of things turning ugly, so please be prepared" he said. Poppy nodded solemnly.

"Is it to get Potter or me?" asked Draco quietly. Severus looked at him "Not you this time dragon, he wants Potter as always".

"Ask him to be careful" Draco whispered turning his face away. Needless to say that Poppy and Severus were surprised to hear these words from Draco Malfoy of all people but stranger things had happened lately.

"I will Draco; though it might not be so welcome coming from me and my dragon, do you realize what **_you_** sounded like just now" he teased using the same words that Draco had earlier.

"Goes without saying that _that_ does not leave the room either" Draco responded smiling. 'Cannot have us causing heart attacks right?' He smirked.

Severus smiled motioning for Draco to lie down and rest again."Now rest Draco, it is the only way you will heal completely. I will send up some books that you can read after eating something" he said drawing the covers over the now prone Draco.

Draco nodded and slid into a more comfortable position. Severus Snape looked once more at the now almost asleep Draco Malfoy and made to retreat to his quarters once again. With a casual nod at Poppy he left the hospital wing and made his way to his quarters.

It was time to check his stores of polyjuice and start setting things up.


	14. Chapter 14 the plan

**Legal disclaimer:** all characters of Harry Potter belong to J. . Hats off to her.

 **Chapter 14 the plan**

The next morning found the burrow engulfed in a flurry of activity as the youngsters tried to cram in their last minute preparations prior to boarding the Hogwarts Express. Harry looked at Ron and Hermione and felt the underlying nervousness that he himself had. The elders tried to keep up the pretense of normalcy as Molly Weasley rushed the kids through the enormous breakfast. It looked quite like the elder Weasley had tried to assuage her nervousness through her cooking after all.

Soon it was time to head to King's Cross. The tension was slowly mounting as the motley group found their way to platform Weasley drew the trio into a hug while at the same time advising them to 'stay safe the three of you, you hear? Keep out of trouble and leave the work to the adults ok?' she asked her eyes laced with worry and tension.

"You know us , do we ever get into trouble? 'Asked Harry with a deliberately innocent look. "Yeah yeah only the trouble finds you, we have all heard that, now get going and be good" muttered Molly with a fond smile .

Ron turned away from his family with a final wave and walked to the train along with Hermione and Harry."Ron come let us find an empty compartment 'called out Hermione as they went searching for an empty carriage.

Spotting an empty one they eased their way into it to see some of the Slytherins walk past. The three of them exchanged a look as they saw Crabbe, Goyle and Nott walk past them to take a carriage further down. They could not stop staring at the Slytherins and reluctantly looked away when Hermione nudged Ron and Harry pointedly.

"Do you think the Aurors are already here?"asked Ron in a whisper."I heard that Tonks was going to be here and mad Eye Moody too" whispered Hermione back. 'Probably Remus too" added Harry with a faraway look in his eyes. Ron and Hermione glanced at each other "Harry there is nothing you can do, they are trained to take care of themselves, please don't worry" she said with a plea in her voice.

Soon they heard the train whistle and felt the train lurch forward. As Harry and Ron launched into a discussion of quidditch in a desperate attempt to ward off the nerves, Hermione buried her nose in a book. 'Where do you think Neville and Luna are? Normally they come to talk to us' Ron wondered idly.

"It's just as well that they are not here. It's better this way and besides Snape won't be happy to see others when he comes to get us. Moreover I don't want to take the chances of them getting hurt either." Harry replied with feeling.

They sat talking for some more time rehashing some of the spells that they had looked up the previous night until they were interrupted by the food trolley. Having bought their items and they sat down only to see Severus Snape standing at the door.

Severus Snape let himself in and sealed the door warding it with silencing as well as privacy spells. He then proceeded to take out three vials of a sludgy looking liquid. The three youngsters looked at each other with a grimace. They knew what that was and did not look forward to drinking the vile tasting potion.

"It is time. Quickly, drink this and stay within the room. The transformation will only take a few minutes but once it's done I want you to stay within the confines of this compartment until I come back. Do you understand? He asked sternly looking at Harry. 'No playing Gryffindor and acting heroic like the dunderheads that you are" he further added nastily.

The three of them nodded and reluctantly took the vials. Hermione took the one labeled Nott while Harry and Ron took the other two. "Go on drink it" commanded Snape while the three of them uncorked the vial and threw back the liquid in one gulp.

All the three of them grimaced and Ron could not help blurting out "Eww that was definitely gross" much to the displeasure of Snape. Within a few minutes however the transformation was complete and Hermione and Harry found themselves in too long robes covering the strange bodies that they were now inhabiting.

Grunting in irritation Snape muttered a spell and waved his wand over the robes shrinking the robes to their size."Now you three remember, no wandering and stay put until I come" he said and strode out leaving the charms on the door. For once the three Gryffindors were happy that the glass was now opaque. They appreciated not being forced to act their roles so soon.

"This is sooo weird" Hermione muttered the words coming out in Nott's heavy voice while Ron and Harry had tense looks which would have never been seen on Goyle and Crabbe's faces ever.

 **Severus Snape's POV**

Severus got into the teachers compartment and sat along with the other Professors. He spied Lupin getting in with Mad Eye Moody as well as Nymphadora Tonks who seemed to be accompanied by some other men who could only be taken as aurors.

The Professors looked at the aurors curiously while Professor Flitwick leaned across and said "are we expecting any trouble Severus?'.Snape considered the question and realized that the professors might as well be warned. Help from any quarter would come in handy.

"Yes Filius, we had gained some intelligence that the Hogwarts Express might be attacked. Professor Dumbledore felt that some reinforcements will not go amiss." He said noting the feelings of worry flash across Minerva McGonagall's face."Is this about Harry, Severus?' McGonagall asked tersely.

"Looks like your lion attracts trouble, don't you agree? 'He asked dryly with a raised eyebrow. "the poor boy', gasped McGonagall, 'Severus shouldn't we warn him?' She asked with trepidation.

"Minerva, control yourself' he snapped. 'Plans are in place, for the moment the less you know the better it is. Suffice to say that everything is under control."

They sat in companionable silence when the lunch trolley made it's presence known. Taking his cue Severus made his way and found the golden trio ensconced in one of the farther carriages. Thankfully they were alone and he breathed a sigh of relief. It would not have surprised him if he had found a coterie of fans surrounding the "boy-who-lived." Harrumphing in irritation he made his way into the compartment.

He administered the vials and once he was assured that the transformation was complete he made his way to the Slytherin compartment.

He motioned for Crabbe, Goyle and Nott to follow him. He guided them to an empty carriage and having warded the compartment turned to them. "It has come to my understanding that there might be a death eater attack on the Hogwarts Express. I believe that your fathers might be involved in the attack and I personally feel that it might not be a good idea for you to be out there at the time".

"But Professor, they know us, they would not hurt us .why would we have to be away?' asked Nott the only one capable of thinking among the three. ' you are right, they do know you but do you really want to be in a situation where your friends and classmates might be hurt by your fathers right in front of you?"Severus responded fighting to keep calm. The stupid boy was delaying him and he could ill afford the delay. Everything hinged on timing.

Theodore Nott nodded slowly "I suppose you are right Professor. Thank you" he said. Severus gave a nod in return "Stay right here, I am going to lock you in and will come back for you when everything is done alright?'Severus said backing his way to the exit when he felt a sudden lurch.

Looking up with alarm he heard Nott say" Is it them Professor" Nodding hastily Severus made his way out of the room "Yes stay right here 'he commanded.

Oh my god!he thought to himself it was starting and he knew that he had to race back to the teachers carriage. Hoping against hope that this was not it, he exited the room and muttering a hasty locking spell ran towards the teacher's carriage.

By this time the train was slowing down and the students had started to become alert. Severus picked up his pace and by the time he was near the teacher's compartment he was running full burst into the compartment and his eyes sought out Lupin, Tonks and Moody. Noticing him they ran towards him wands in hand.

He pushed the vials of polyjuice potion in Lupin's hand and rushed forward as they immediately walked towards the rest of the compartments. They moved rapidly to find Harry, Ron and Hermione.

The other teachers and aurors had already risen to their feet wand in hand. Severus rushed forward wand in hand just as the death eaters started apparating in.

Soon the air was filled with the sounds of spells as the teachers and some of the aurors battled the death eaters who had apparated in. The train had ground to a complete halt and Severus could hear the startled screams of the students.

He brandished his wand and shouted ' _stupefy'_ but aimed his wand to miss. The death eater inclined his head to acknowledge the feint and moved forward as if to engage in battle. Severus knew that he had told Potter and his friends to stay within the compartment but there was nothing that he could do now. He only hoped that Mad Eye had had the sense to look for them by now.

 _'_ _Reducto'_ he cast again and narrowly missing the death eater again in what he hoped would be taken as a deliberate move by the death eater while edging his way out of the compartment.

Rapidly casting ' _Protego_ ' as he ran into the passage closely followed by the death eater. It was impossible to see who it was beneath the robes and his blood nearly froze when he heard the high cackling of Bellatrix as she lazily removed her mask "don't you think it's high time we stopped playing hide and seek Severus. Now take me to the blasted boy".

Severus thanked his foresight at aiming to miss when he realized that it was Bellatrix before him. He would never have been able to explain as to why he would injure her when in fact he was supposed to help her.

"Do not presume to show off your arrogance here Bella, follow me and do try to remember that your target is only Potter" he hissed in a menacing tone. 'Oh come on Severus, _all these itty bitty kids and you_ _don't want me to play"_ she pouted in her sing song voice.

"Bella remember I have a role to play as well' he warned before turning and quickly casting an _incendio_ at her. A flash of anger crossed her face as she blocked the curse and retaliated with the blood boiling curse of her own. Severus was dimly aware of the sound of spells still echoing in the teachers' compartment and he wondered idly as to how they were faring.

Flitwick for all his dimunitive size was an excellent dueler and could hold his own but Minerva McGonagall would be at a disadvantage with the dark spells. But then again she was a fiery woman who could rise above the ordinary when called upon to do so. He however had no idea if Trelawney, Sinastra or Sprout would hold their own though.

He had no time to think of the others and it soon became a game of him against depended on whowas faster as Severus blocked Bellatrix while also making his way down the train. Bellatrix kept up the pretense and chased him when suddenly one of the compartments flew open and some Gryffindors spilled out.

Bellatrix turned to them a feral look on her face and brandished her wand while Severus rapidly moved in front of the idiot students. Damn Thomas and Finnigan he thought as they stood frozen in fear. He cast the shield charm and pushed them back into the compartment sliding the door closed. One look at his furious face would be enough to keep them inside.

"Damn Bella, don't tempt me" he warned but Bellatrix only laughed "oh poor Severus, look at you, unable to curse me when all you want to do is precisely that.' she sneered.

With supreme effort he clamped down on his irritation and the mounting fury as he came almost to the compartment where Potter was. Shit! Mad eye had moved too slowly he realized as he saw Moody in his Potter persona herding out what could only be interpreted as Crabbe, Goyle and Nott into the passage.

On seeing Potter who was truly Mad Eye, Bella stiffened and in a flash summoned the other death eaters .The passage became crowded with the other death eaters and soon spells were being cast to and fro.

Shouts of _expelliarmus_ and _protego_ filled the air as Severus saw the real Potter draw his wand as well. _Idiot boy_ thought Severus to himself as he joined the fight and cast his own spells. He saw Potter narrowly miss a purple light and almost stopped breathing.

Suddenly he heard one of the death eaters speak "Greg what the hell do you think you are doing?' he snapped.

The real Potter, Weasley and Granger who were standing back to back in an almost defensive stance froze in their spot. But the split second silence was enough for Mad Eye Moody and he cast a powerful _incarcerous_ at the senior Goyle while Lupin and Tonks were still locked in battle with Nott senior and Bellatrix Lestrange.

Severus tried to move in next to the golden trio and almost succeeded in reaching their side when a stray spell landed right in between him and the trio. Whirling around and growling in rage he cast his trademark sectumsempra knowing that the time to play nice was over.

Almost at the same time he heard the shrieks of pain as he saw Tonks in the form of Hermione writhing on the floor under the cruciatus. Knowing Potter and his affliction for heroics he was not disappointed to see the flash of rage on Goyle's face as Potter's emotions played out on his persona's face.

Before he could stop the foolish boy he had lifted his wand and bellowed "expelliarmus" neatly disarming the senior Nott. The senior Goyle turned in fury "what the hell was that Greg?' He yelled "how dare you go against us ?' he yelled furiously and in a flash cast the cruciatus on Gregory Goyle .Potter sank to his knees as the spell hit him and writhed around in almost eerie silence.

Before suspicion could arise as to when Gregory Goyle had become so brave Severus stepped in "Vincent stop this foolishness. Just do what you came for, take Potter and go" he snapped."I will get these three to the Slytherin compartment" he said gesturing to the fallen Potter. He then stepped forward and shepherded the trio out as he saw Mad eye Moody, Tonks and Lupin get cornered by the three death eaters out of the corner of his eye.

Severus held onto Potter as the boy swayed unsteadily while herding him out steadily towards the Slytherin compartment. He refrained from making comments as he knew that the death eaters were lurking about but his lips thinned in disapproval as he thought about what Potter had done. He had almost screwed up the whole scenario. Blasted Gryffindor he thought to himself.

Potter to his credit kept quiet and let himself be herded into the Slytherin compartment. Once Potter was deposited inside Severus turned and rapidly made his way back to where he had left Mad Eye Moody.

On arriving at the scene he was just in time to see Moody cast rapid spells in succession which slid under the shield charm and hit the death eater. He quickly followed it with a petrificus and not leaving anything to chance conjured ropes to tie the death eater up tightly.

At the same time Lupin and Tonks were battling Nott and Crabbe while Bellatrix was getting ready to tackle Moody .Severus stepped in and sent a few weak spells at the death eaters while assessing the situation. The presence of Bellatrix tipped the scales in their favour and he was not in a position to help.

Apparently realizing the same thing Moody made a sign to Lupin and Tonks and they quickly left their positions to get to Moody. Moody fingered the bracelet on his wrist turning it into a portkey. In a flash they were whisked away leaving the death eaters in unbelievable rage.

Before they could go on a rampage Severus stepped in "Bella leave it. The brat has escaped and the aurors will descend in full force at any time. Go before you get out of bounds and earn the wrath of our lord, you can get your revenge later" he said.

Bellatrix let out a howl of rage and blasting a hole in the roof of the compartment disapparated with the others in tow.

Severus sank to his knees catching his breath. He let out a sigh of relief. That was a close call but everything had gone off smoothly all things considered. Potter had come close to almost blowing the whole things away but thank goodness it hadn't come to that.

The brats hadn't looked injured but then he hadn't had much time to really assess the damage. He supposed he should look in on them in a while. At any rate he had to get them out of the Slytherin compartment before the polyjuice wore off.

In the meantime he realized that he had to check on the teachers and made his way to the teacher's compartment. There were scorch marks on the ceiling and Minerva was just sinking into a nearby seat with her hand on her chest. Flitwick sat nursing a gash on his arm.

The aurors returned one by one to the compartment nursing a variety of gashes. A couple of them had been injured seriously and had been portkeyed to already.

"Are all of you ok?" he asked looking at each of them in turn. "Yeah Severus we are fine, we should go and check on the driver. What about you? And are all the kids ok? She asked. Severus nodded "I am fine but I haven't had time to check on the kids. You are right though I will go and speak to the driver.

In the meantime can you check up on the kids? Leave Potter for the minute though. I need to get them out of the Slytherin compartment, No not now Minerva. It's a long story' he said with a sigh.

Not waiting for a response he made his way to the front of the train. The driver was sprawled on the floor with a gash on his forehead. Severus knelt by his side and felt his wrist for a pulse. The pulse was strong and steady. He had just been knocked unconscious.

Severus muttered a soft " _episkey_ " and fixed the gash on the driver's forehead. He then proceeded to revive him with an reenervate and helped him sit up. 'Are you okay? Do you think you can take over now?" he asked.

"Yes Professor, thanks "he said softly and stood up. Knowing that the driver was alright Severus made his way to the Slytherin compartment. He entered to find the trio sitting in a subdued fashion and motioned for them to follow him.

They exchanged a look and followed him they were inside the compartment that they had been in earlier they sank into the seats wearily. Severus Snape had to acknowledge that seeing Goyle with Potter's expressions was quite disconcerting and turned to make his way out when Potter's voice stopped him.

"Is everyone alright Professor? Did anyone get injured" he Gryffindor sneered Severus but deigned to answer. "No Potter everything went well, not everyone was as dense as you to get a cruciatus cast upon them" he said with a nasty look.

Stepping out he heard Weasley say "what a git" and he made his way to the compartment where he had left his three Slytherins. He entered to find the three of them sitting and staring out the window. He gestured to them to follow him.

"What happened Professor?'Nott asked"Did they come?"he asked with hesitation. Severus nodded curtly "Yes they did. Everything is under control now. You can return to the compartment. If anyone asks questions tell them that I have asked you not to discuss this. You understand?"

The three of them nodded and made their way to the Slytherin compartment as Severus once again made the same journey.

The train had resumed the journey in the meantime and Severus knew that in a while Potter's polyjuice would wear off. Dimly he realized that he had not checked him for injuries and made a note to send him to the hospital wing once they reached Hogwarts.

He then made his way to the teachers's compartment and sat down heavily. He hoped that the rest of the journey at least would be made in peace.

 **Author's note** : My heartfelt thanks to those who had encouraged me with nice words. At the same time It would not be wrong to say that I was quite disappointed with the lack of reviews for the last chapter and made me wonder as to what the heck I am doing. So please please review, it makes me work on the story without losing my enthusiasm.


	15. Chapter 15 what is this?

**Legal Disclaimer** :Harry Potter belongs to J. and nope I don't get a dime out of this.

 **Chapter 15 what is this?**

The train ground to a halt and all the students started getting out onto the platform. Harry, Ron and Hermione stood up to gather their trunks and made their way to the exit. Hermione cast a worried glance at Harry.

He still twitched with the after effects of the cruciatus and occasionally held a hand to his ribs. She guessed that some spell must have hit him and Harry being Harry, had not made it an issue. Her mind still could not digest the fact that the senior Goyle had actually cursed his son. What kind of men were these death eaters anyway?

"Harry are you alright? Are you still in pain?" she asked tentatively knowing how much Harry would hide his pain. "I am fine Mione" he said with his trademark response. "Harry you still have the side effects of the cruciatus, you cannot ignore that. Please let us go to the hospital wing" she insisted.

Knowing that an argument with a determined Hermione was a lost one Harry acquiesced with a shrug."Okay, okay we will go to the hospital wing .But please stop badgering me now and let us get to the feast. Wonder how many new students are here this year" he said quickly diverting the discussion.

They made their way upto the castle and saw Severus Snape heading their way. He approached them and after looking around to see that there were no slytherins lurking around he bent down and said in a low voice "Potter, I want you to head to the hospital wing before the feast to get yourself checked. It won't hurt for the two of you to get yourselves checked as well' he said with a look at Ron and Hermione.

"I don't want you to play the hero and skip this, landing yourself in more trouble later, you understand?'

Harry glared at him and murmured a muted "yes sir" as Snape strode away from the spot before he could add some choice words to Snape's demand. Ron however could not stop himself "what a git! I am sure that he doesn't even care, he is just doing it because Dumbledore would ask him if he didn't" he burst out.

Harry did not respond as they had entered the castle by then. They proceeded to the hospital wing without stopping at the Great hall. It was really the logical thing to do as the cruciatus was still making its presence felt. Hermione however admonished Ron "Ron, he is a teacher and he is actually showing that he cares for once. Dont' you understand that?" she asked.

They entered the silent hospital wing and waited for Poppy Pomfrey to make an appearance. Presently she made an appearance coming from the farthest bed which had privacy curtains around it. The three of them exchanged glances and Hermione whispered "Do you think that's Malfoy behind the curtains?" she asked.

Harry and Ron craned their necks trying to catch a glimpse of whoever was behind the curtain. Their natural curiosity was kindled but they had no time to answer as the matron was almost upon them.

" , what is the problem? she enquired and proceeded to answer her own question." Is this about the attack on Hogwarts Express? Were any of you hurt? She asked solicitously, her nursing instincts acting up.

Hermione took it upon herself to answer as she saw Harry squirm in discomfort. "Harry was put under the cruciatus and had to fight some death eaters" she explained. Poppy shook her head and motioned towards the bed. Harry sat down reluctantly as Poppy ran her wand over his body in a businesslike fashion.

"You happen to have some bruising on your ribs as well" she said looking at him enquiringly. Ron and Hermione looked at him sharply as he blushed and squirmed in his seat. Poppy looked at him and said sternly "sit here while I get the required potions, and what about you two?" she asked while motioning for both of them to sit down as well.

She ran her wand over both of them and seemed to be satisfied that they carried no major injuries. "Just small scratches and cuts which can be easily taken care of. Now wait here while I come" she said and made her way to her office which was just outside the hospital wing.

Harry made to get up but sat back as he heard Ron say "Better stay put mate, the lady can get as mad as a horntail dragon". Harry grimaced "You are right", he acquiesced 'but I wonder how Malfoy is putting up with her' he mused idly.

Just then as if to answer his query they heard a low groan from the far end of the wing. Harry and Ron looked at each other uneasily while Hermione had a worried expression on her face. "Guys perhaps he needs help" she said softly.

"Mione, it won't help for us to go. I doubt that he would want to be seen by us right now" Harry said while Ron added "Besides I might just get irritated with him if he acts like a git .come to think of it, how do we even know it's him?.Mione he looks like he is well cared for, why do you even feel the need to help the git?" he whined

Hermione was not to be deterred however. Her face took on a determined look as she said "I am going to look, it could be him, and it might not be him. But I would like to help whoever it is". She dint wait for the other two to follow as she made her way to the bed at the far end. Harry and Ron exchanged looks and with a resigned sigh followed her but chose to stay a little behind.

She reached the bed and taking a deep breath stepped inside the curtain. With all her imagination of how he would look after his ordeal she was still shocked. He was wan and pale and seemed to be swathed in bandages under his hospital hair was mussed and fell in soft waves over his forehead.

He looked up at her shocked, and she was in turn stunned by the intensity of his gaze. It seemed that he had been trying to reach a glass of water but the pain in his hand and chest had stopped him, resulting in the groan.

Hermione saw the flash of pain and embarrassment in his eyes on seeing her and chose not to show that she had noticed. Calmly she stepped up to him and handed the glass of water to him,

" but was confused to see the barrage of emotions swirling in his eyes.

There was a flash of something unknown in his eyes as he had looked at her. But what truly surprised her was the fact that there was none of the derision and distaste that was usually directed at her.

She knew that he had undergone a terrible ordeal and it might have changed him in some way, but this was nice. There had been a lot of untold emotions in his gaze but she could not put her finger on them immediately. Perhaps she could figure it out later.

For now she pushed it to the back of her mind as Draco reached out for the glass of water. As his hands came in contact with hers she was jolted out of her reverie as a small electric feeling ghosted across her skin where his hand had touched. She was stunned, this was soo clichéd and she had never believed in such things before.

Her skin tingled at the contact and she fought to stop the red from tinging her cheeks .For God's sake he was not the first boy she touched and currently he was nothing but a sick classmate. And yet, why had she felt these things? she wondered. She had never felt like this with Harry or Ron or even Krum for that matter.

Feeling highly flustered she told herself that it was all her imagination and _He_ probably felt nothing so she should just ignore this. She was so caught up in her own mental arguments that she hardly looked at Draco. If she had looked up she would have been surprised indeed.

On his part having taken a deep breath, Draco took the glass of water and fought to mask the sliver of electricity that he felt when their hands came in contact. He unconsciously held his breath and wondered if she had felt it as well. Her eyes had widened just that little bit at the contact and he was fairly sure that she must have surely felt something.

He murmured a low 'thanks' as he drank from the glass and handed it back to her avoiding her gaze completely. This was so embarrassing as it is .However she had nothing but a soft smile for him "Are you in a lot of pain Malfoy? Should I ask Madame Pomfrey to come'? She asked with concern.

"No, I will manage' he said in a raspy voice that did not quite seem like him before asking "how come you are here Granger? Are you by any chance missing me?" he asked half in jest and half in seriousness. In his mind however he was shocked that he had said such a thing. Was he so pathetic and lonely that he was unconsciously seeking company? He wondered.

Hermione smiled and her eyes twinkled. Draco found himself drawn to their depths as she replied "no Malfoy, no offense but you have done nothing to make me miss you. Harry was hurt and we had to see the nurse".

At the mention of Potter, Draco turned to see Potter and Weasley standing at a distance behind Hermione. It took everything in him not to sneer and look down upon them but he reined in his habitual animosity and nodded curtly to Potter.

Circumstances had changed; he had to bow down to that. Now was not the time to fight with Potter. Weasley however was a different issue, an issue which will take time, lots and lots of time.

Potter nodded back curtly while Ron fidgeted uneasily. This was taking too much time as it is and he knew that the feast must have started some time back. Thankfully before anything else happened they heard Pomfrey bustle back.

"Sorry I got held up in a floo call from one of my relatives. Here Potter, take this and make sure to get a decent night's rest. Drink the potion now and rub the salve on your ribs before you go to sleep. You should be fine by morning and in case you have any problems in the morning come and see me. You understand?' she said in full nurse mode. Harry nodded and took the medication from the elderly witch.

She then noticed Hermione standing near Draco Malfoy and added "Thanks for helping dear, but I can handle things from here. You three get back to the feast" she said shooing them out.

Hermione looked back at Malfoy before heading out of the hospital wing. Her gaze met his and she was once again entranced by the depth of emotions in his mercurial orbs. It made her wonder as to how they had never noticed this before or was Malfoy simply that excellent an actor?

They quickly walked to the Gryffindor table and took seats beside their friends. They ignored the curious stares for after all the students had been on the train themselves and knew about the attack. They saw that the sorting was already over and noticed the ten new additions to the Gryffindor table.

As Dumbledore finished his welcome speech and the food made it's way to the table Neville leaned in and voiced what had been noticed by a lot of others ."Harry, did you notice that Malfoy is not at the Slytherin table? I wonder if he has dropped out of Hogwarts what with his father in Azkaban and all" he said while the other students feigned disinterest but Harry knew better.

Harry shrugged carelessly "I noticed Neville, but I don't know if he will drop out. Don't you think Dumbledore would have mentioned something if that was the case?" he said."Where is he then?" Neville wondered.

Harry again shrugged "perhaps he will come in later" he said dismissing the topic while stealing a glance at Severus Snape. He could practically feel the man's glare; it was almost as if the man could hear their conversation. He turned back to his food and concentrated on eating but his mind turned to what had happened in the hospital wing.

Draco Malfoy had been very different. For the first time ever it felt that he was human. It was very difficult to explain and Harry realized that for all he knew, he had seen Malfoy without a front for the first time. He had seen the shock in Malfoy's face and had understood it better than Hermione. After all it was he who knew that the muggle had taken Hermione's appearance in Malfoy Manor.

He turned to look at Hermione to see how she was reacting to the whole thing. He saw that her mind was practically whirring away even as she was rhetorically talking to the others. He knew that it was only a matter of time that she would come with her questions.

He turned back to the conversations around him and put Malfoy out of his mind. There would be time for that later.

Soon it was time for them to head to their dorms and get ready for bed. Harry bid good night to his friends and slid into bed, the day's events having caught up to him.

 **Severus Snape**

Severus Snape looked at the Gryffindor table and saw Potter talking to his friends. The boy looked a lot better and Severus surmised that he must have gone to the hospital wing indeed. He briefly wondered if they would have seen Malfoy and whether they had come in contact with each other.

He had to look in on his godson after the feast but he also anticipated a meeting with the dark lord before that. The attack had not gone in his favour after all.

He waited for the feast to get over and started making his way over to the hospital wing when he felt the dark mark burn in all it's intensity. He rapidly approached Dumbledore who took one look at him and gave him an understanding nod. "I meant to look in on Draco Albus, now you have to do so" Severus requested. Dumbledore nodded "of course Severus, don't' worry and come back safe".

Severus wasted no more time and made his way to the apparition point. The rest of the death eaters with the exception of those who had been on the train were just apparating in. It seemed that Nott and Goyle had been already subjected to the cruciatus and were writhing on the floor. Bellatrix was slowly getting to her feet from having been under the cruciatus. Voldemort seemed to be really angry.

"I needed Harry Potter and what do you do? _Imbeciles'_ he screamed. His face was twisted in rage and fury was written in every line of his face. He pointed his wand in Lucius's direction and cast _crucio!_ And when it turned to him, Severus knew that he was not going to be spared. "And _you_ Severus.. _You_ were supposed to deliver Potter to us and now you have to pay the price' he raged and turned the wand on Severus.

Severus Snape braced himself for the pain and it was through great will power that he just managed to sink to his knees in the face of this onslaught. "Idiots I am surrounded by _Idiots_ ' voldemort screamed in rage.

In due time he let up the curse and asked "Severus where is Potter now?" Snape bowed in his fallen state and replied in his measured drawl "he is at Hogwarts my lord. I am sorry my lord, we tried but obviously our best efforts were naught".

Voldemort remained in thoughtful silence for a minute before declaring "Severus I dare say that I expected more from you, but for your failure and insolence I now assign you another task." he paused dramatically "you will _not_ fail this task or _you_ will face the consequences which will not be pretty" he warned.

Severus stayed down and waited for Voldemort to declare his evil intentions. "My lord, I will definitely do my best to live up to your expectations. What is it that you need me to do?" he asked reverentially.

"Since Harry Potter has escaped through our fingers yet again I command you to now find a way to get to Draco Malfoy. You will study the wards that Dumbledore has placed him under and report to me. I will need updates on every action of the traitor and I need him at my feet begging for mercy. _Do you understand?_ Tell me Severus can you bring him to me? Can I trust you on this?" He asked silkily.

Severus kept his face and mind shielded as the rage flared deep inside him. His anger burned with ferocity and he would have cursed the monster if only the circumstances were so. The monster was _still_ after his godson and his determination to save Draco became even more reinforced after hearing these words. But for now he had a role to play.

"I will do my best my lord. I will soon come with good news my lord" he murmured from his lowered position.

"See that you do and I will expect some information by the next meeting. You may go. As you see I have to deal with these imbeciles."

Severus rose saying "thank you my lord" and swiftly made his way to the apparition point .He quickly apparated to Hogwarts and made his way to the dungeons. He needed the anti cruciatus potion as well as a stiff drink before going to the hospital wing to see Draco.

Then there was also the matter of the wards that would have to be done for Draco. They would have to transfer Draco's wardship to him at some point as discussed. It would be safer in the long run.

 **Author notes:**

My thanks to all those who think that my story is good. But that does not mean I will stop asking for reviews. I look forward to hearing all your views so please stop for a moment to drop a line. Thanks and do R&R.


	16. Chapter 16 speculations and plans

**Disclaimer** : All of Harry Potter belong to J. .

 **Chapter 16 : ** Speculations and plans

 **Severus Pov**

Severus Snape woke up in the morning with his thoughts clear on what had to be done during the course of the day. Dumbledore and he had had an in-depth discussion the previous night. Severus had briefed Dumbledore on what had transpired at Voldemort's meeting.

It had become imperative that steps had to be taken to change the wards surrounding Draco. They could not afford to wait any longer. Moreover they also had to come up with a cover story for why Draco Malfoy was in the hospital wing.

It had been decided between the both of them that Draco would now come under his blood protection so to speak. The ritual had to be done by Dumbledore and it was decided that it would be done in the room of requirement which Potter had discovered the previous year.

What an irony it was that all of Draco Malfoy's life changing events were now following the route of Potter. Was this an indication of how things were going to go Severus wondered?

Shaking his head at the questions floundering in his head he made his way to the hospital wing. He saw with satisfaction that Draco was sitting up with pillows propped behind him. Severus noted that his color was better and he was able to maneuver his breakfast better. Time had certainly aided in the recovery.

"Good morning Draco, how are you today" he called out. 'Good morning uncle Severus' responded Draco before adding "I am feeling much better sir, the pain is much lesser and I look forward to being on my feet again" he said. Severus looked at Draco assessing his godson while Poppy came in hearing the voices. Severus turned to her "good morning Poppy, how is Draco doing?" He asked.

In response poppy waved her wand over Draco and smiled for the first time since Draco came into the hospital wing. "You are definitely on the mend young man, would you want to try standing up?' she asked. Draco smiled widely and nodded enthusiastically "yes madam Pomfrey". Pomfrey looked at Severus and gestured for him to help "Severus please stay by his side and support him. He will feel dizzy for a bit while his body gets used to activity again" she cautioned.

Severus nodded and slid a hand under Draco's shoulders as he straightened up in the bed. He watched as Draco gingerly slid his legs to the ground and stifled a gasp as his body protested the movement. Holding onto Severus's wrist he slowly stood up putting his weight on his legs slowly. For just a moment he swayed dizzily and was afraid that he would fall down but the moment passed swiftly.

Soon the room stopped spinning and he tentatively moved forward. He could not help feeling relieved that the wobble in his legs was not too pronounced. The next two steps went better as his body became more flexible after being confined to the bed for the last few days. There was a bit of a twinge in his wrists when he put his weight on them but it was not the severe pain of the last few days.

He exhaled in relief. The pain was not debilitating and he could handle this. He had been very worried that his body would betray him and make him weaker in the eyes of his godfather. Agreed, that his godfather would not think lesser of him but he would rather not show his weakness. Some of his pride unfortunately still lingered.

Holding onto Severus Snape he walked around some more until fatigue caught up with him and he started leaning more and more heavily on his godfather. Sensing his fatigue Severus led Draco back to the bed and helped him get onto it.

Draco leaned on the pillows gratefully, his face reflecting the strain borne by his body. He heaved a huge sigh as his body sunk onto the bed and closed his eyes. His body shuddered with the strain and the pain had become more pronounced.

Severus gently ran a hand through the white blonde locks "rest dragon, it would not do to strain yourself unduly. We have work to do tonight" he said and watched the grey eyes swing open at once.

"What is it uncle Severus? Draco asked softly. "Is it the dark lord?" he asked with a touch of fear in his voice. "Yes Draco it is the dark lord" Severus replied. "He wants to get to you now that he has failed to get Potter. It has become imperative that you come under my blood wards. The headmaster and I have decided that we will do the ritual tonight at the earliest. The dark lord will never suspect that you would be under my protection and that would be our greatest defense".

"But he knows that you are my Godfather and if he does not, then surely my father will tell him?' Draco questioned, his eyes shadowed with sadness."I don't want to cause any danger to you, Uncle" he said in a soft undertone.

"Young man, you forget whom you speak to" Severus chided softly. "I have been fighting this battle for far longer than you can even imagine. I can very well take care of myself. Now don't you go around being a Gryffindor, you understand?" He said with a small smile."You listen to me and listen proper. You stay a Slytherin and think only of how you are going to get better okay?"

"Okay Uncle" responded Draco with a small smile on his face."So what is the procedure?' he asked. Severus started detailing the plan " I will come by around 7 after you have had an early dinner and take you to the room of requirement. Dumbledore will join us and we will conduct the ritual." Draco looked up with a thoughtful look "what is the room of requirement?" he asked curiously.

"Well" Severus sighed; it is a room that presents itself according to the user's needs. It cannot be accessed by anyone else who does not have the same need. In effect it will be a very safe and private place. Now do you have any other questions?"he asked.

"Is that the room Potter used for those defense lessons last year?" he asked with unmasked curiosity. Severus snorted, of all the inane questions to ask "yes if you must know, it is the very same. Now do you have any other concerns?"

Draco hesitated and asked in a small voice "will the ritual hurt?'. Severus took a deep breath and contemplated his answer "I really don't know Draco. I don't anticipate it to be very painful otherwise you would have felt it when Dumbledore took you under his wing. Now rest and don't worry about anything".

Draco nodded and slid down further in his bed and closed his eyes. "See you later Uncle" he murmured as he heard Severus walk away from the hospital wing. Once Severus was gone Draco found it very hard to go to sleep. His mind kept going through the events of the last few days only, to stop at the scene in the hospital wing the previous day.

He had been startled to see Hermione Granger in his part of the hospital wing. Something twisted deep inside him as he recalled the concern on her face. There had been worry in her eyes and he was deeply touched by it. Nobody with the exception of his mother had ever worried about him and the thought made him even sadder as he realized that he truly had no one now.

For the longest time he had pretended that he did not need anyone and if at all, it was the others who needed him. But the truth was that he had always known better. He had yearned for love from his father and had never had it. His mother had loved him yes, but providence indeed hated him, for that had been snatched away too.

He wished deeply that there was someone for him who would be there by his side to hold him and care for him. Hell! he needed someone who would care if he was alive or dead apart from Severus Snape. For the first time he thought about his life and how he wanted to live it.

He had taken a lot of things for granted but now he realized that it could all be snatched away. He was now on the dark Lord's hit list and he might not live to see the end of his sixth year. However With the realization came the deep yearning to live. He wanted to live, love, possibly get married and have kids.

Just a few months back all of this was just a matter of time but now everything was complicated. He was now excommunicated from the pureblood society which pretty much eliminated a lot of girls. He would also probably be cut off from the Malfoy fortune which brought down his chances even further. The future just looked bleak and he sighed deeply wishing that everything would just become better.

 **Dumbledore's office**

Severus gave the password to Dumbledore's office and waited for entrance. Presently he heard Dumbledore's voice calling out for him to enter. He walked in and seated himself. "Would you care for some lemon drops Severus"? Dumbledore asked solicitously.

"No Albus, I have too much on my mind for such trivialities" he said with a scowl. "You take things far too seriously Severus" Albus gently chided. "And you don't take things seriously enough" Severus snapped back. "What has you worried Severus?" Albus asked gently.

"This ritual to transfer the wards, what exactly does it entail?" Severus came out with the question. "Yes about that, I wanted to tell you something" Albus responded. Severus waited for Albus to expand. "Severus when I took Draco under my protection I knew it was going to be a temporary one .Therefore I used the simpler version of the spell, the lighter version if you will. But what we are going to do tonight will be a far stronger spell. Something capable of protecting him from dark spells and possibly from Voldemort himself."

"What are you saying Albus? That this could be dangerous? Severus asked alarmed. Albus contemplated his answer "No Severus this is not dangerous but it can take a lot from your energy as well as from Draco's strength. It can render you unconscious and place a strain on your magic."

"Will it hurt Draco?" Severus questioned further as Albus replied "Draco is already weakened Severus, and in his weakened state this might be stressful. But unfortunately this is unavoidable. It may save his life sooner rather than later".

"My point is this, my boy, the spell in all probability will render you both unconscious. Which means that we need a third person to help restore Draco Malfoy to the hospital wing" He declared rendering Severus silent.

"But no one even knows that Draco is here and it is better that way. Can he not rest in the room of requirement till he is strong enough to go to the hospital wing?" Severus asked.

"Severus", Dumbledore continued "you have to understand that I will be using this spell for the first time tonight which means that the effects have not been documented so far. I do not want to take the chance of not having Madam Pomfrey around in case things take a turn for the worse".

Severus contemplated the situation before saying "So what do you propose we do? There is no one we can ask except Madam Pomfrey and I really do not want to involve her in this mess."

Albus smiled with the customary twinkle in his eye. Severus knew that the blasted twinkle was a danger sign signaling something that he did not want to hear. His instinct was not wrong when Dumbledore said "you forget the three youngsters who are as involved in all this as we are Severus."

"No" Severus flatly refused."I will not have Potter and his friends messing with Draco. They are enough trouble as it is. I do not want them blabbering about this to everyone" he said vehemently.

"Severus you do them a great injustice" Albus admonished gently."They have behaved admirably so far and I am sure they will not object to helping you" he said decisively. Severus snorted "I don't think Ron Weasly can control his tongue or his animosity to Draco and I still feel unsure about all this Albus" he said.

"Severus you misunderstand me. I was not going to suggest Harry or but I was going to suggest Miss. Granger. I have seen in the past that she has been kind to those in need of it, and she has a sound head on her shoulders too. She will not panic in case of an emergency and I know that I can trust her to keep a secret. What do you say Severus?" Albus asked.

Severus remained silent contemplating his options "hmm, Miss Granger is the most suitable of the lot I suppose." He said grudgingly "I will have a word with her after breakfast and see where it all goes. Now, if all is done we better get to the Great Hall as it is time for breakfast" he said rising from his seat and heading to the door.

 **Great Hall**

Hermione walked into the great hall, her eyes seeking out her friends. She spotted Ron and Harry at the table and slid in to join them. Ron had already piled the food on his plate and Harry had just started to do so. "Morning Hermione" Ron called out. Hermione responded with her own morning wish and started to dish her plate, stifling a yawn.

Harry looked at her with an enquiring look while she just waved her hand and said "don't; even ask". Harry smiled "ok I won't. All ok though?' he asked. "Yeah yeah everything is fine", she responded. "I just had a lot on my mind last night, speaking of which, I need to ask you something" she said. Harry merely nodded while getting through his breakfast.

Hermione absently ate while thinking about the last night. Her whole night had been filled with thoughts of Draco Malfoy. It had been incredibly disturbing to see the proud and haughty Slytherin being so down and out. There had been a sad vulnerability about him that had tugged at her heart strings.

He was not meant to be vulnerable, it did not suit him. He was meant to be arrogant and haughty and yet he was not, all because of one mad man who was pulling the strings. As she thought back to her meeting with him at the hospital wing she remembered the thrill she had felt when their hands had touched.

There was no mistaking it; there was something there, although she did not know what as yet. She blushed as she remembered how his hands had felt. He had big powerful hands that would totally engulf her tiny hands and his skin had been smooth and dry. It was not clammy as sometimes Ron's was and was not as callused as Harry's. It was just right and so totally masculine.

His face came readily to her mind and as she ruminated over the incident she realized that she had overlooked something. There had been something in Draco's eyes apart from being startled. If she was not mistaken it had looked that he had been totally uneasy in bumping into her and that was something not in his character.

Draco Malfoy never looked ruffled. He never showed his emotions, assuming he had any. He always had a cold demeanor but last night he had not been _that_ Draco Malfoy. He had been almost human and almost emotional. His eyes had swirled with emotion that she had been unable to read.

"Hermione are you alright?" a voice broke into her reverie as she was roused from her day dream by Harry's voice. She forced a calm demeanor and replied "I am fine Harry and I really need to ask you something. Do you mind stepping aside a bit?". "Of course Hermione" Harry immediately replied while at the same time getting up from his seat and waited for Hermione to follow him.

Hermione turned to Ron who was looking bewildered "Ron, there's something I need to ask Harry. I will fill you in as soon as I am back ok? Please Ron" she pleaded hoping that he would let go and understand for once.

Ron was not too keen on being left out of whatever was happening and was tempted to press the issue but then this was Harry and Hermione. He knew that it was only a matter of time before they filled him in and it _was_ his best friends out there so he decided that he could object later. "Sure Mione, carry on but I want to know what's going on ok?'.Hermione just smiled in response and followed Harry out the door.

Once outside she turned to Harry and cast a muffiliato before saying "Harry when you had the vision the night Draco was tortured, was that all there was to it?" She watched Harry carefully and saw the slight hesitation and pressed on "is there anything else that you haven't told us? Harry did you leave anything out? Please tell me" she implored.

Harry knew that the time had come and that he could not hide the truth forever, but still he felt the need to hedge. "Why do you ask this Hermione?"he asked. She took a deep breath before replying "Harry, yesterday when I saw Malfoy at the hospital wing he seemed to be startled to see me. That kind of makes sense as he did not expect us to be there but there was something else there too. He seemed to be a bit shocked and _that_ For Draco Malfoy is unusual. Why would he be shocked to see me?" "Harry just tell me…" she said in a warning tone as she sensed his hesitation.

Harry took a deep breath himself. There really was no way to beat around this or to cushion this."Hermione you remember that there was a muggle girl whom Draco was asked to….well you know…" he dragged with a blush. Hermione nodded and asked him to continue. "Well she was transfigured to look like you. They thought that you being my friend would make it better for Draco" he finished lamely.

Now it was Hermione's turn to be shocked. She was sickened by what those monsters had attempted to do and her heart went out to Draco. Doing something so vile to a stranger was bad enough but to be asked to do it to someone whom he knew was worse.

'Why didn't you tell me Harry?" she whispered. "I don't know Hermione, it just didn't feel right. How could _I_ tell you about this? I cannot imagine you in that position" he replied helplessly. "This is so sick Harry, how could they?" she ranted while Harry nodded.

"What was Malfoy's reaction Harry?" she asked wondering what must have gone through the blonde boy's mind. "Would he have been disgusted to touch a mudblood and therefore did not?" she thought almost afraid to know the answer.

"Hermione I know what's running through your mind and it's not what you think. When the girl was raped by Lucius, Draco was actually crying and she was indeed a muggle. Can you ever imagine Draco Malfoy crying? I doubt if we know Malfoy at all Hermione. What he comes scross as, might not be at all what he is" Harry said softly.

"What do you think of Malfoy, Harry?" Hermione asked her mind still running a mile a minute. Harry let out his breath "I don't know Mione. He might not be the nicest person around but he has suffered a great deal now. I have seen the human side of him Hermione, and he is definitely not evil. I don't know if we can be called friends, but I am not sure if he is an enemy anymore either."

Hermione kept silent as she assimilated all that she had heard. Finally realizing that she cannot do anything about any of it she said "Hmm it's all so confusing isn't it? There's not much we can do about it all I suppose. I guess it's time to head back before Ron bursts with curiosity".

Harry smiled in response and made his way to the Great Hall with Hermione by his side. Everyone had finished and they were just getting up to head to their different classes when he saw Severus Snape walk towards them. "Miss Granger, I need to have a word with you, Please follow me to my office" he said in his silky tone and walked away with his robes billowing behind him.

"What the hell does _he_ want?" Ron burst out aloud while Harry just looked puzzled. Hermione shook herself out of her stupor and said "I don't know Ron but I better go" and followed the professor to his office.

Once inside he turned to her and said "Miss Granger take a seat" and waited for Hermione to be seated before continuing "you know the events that have occurred over the last few days with Draco Malfoy, don't you?' Hermione responded with a "yes sir" wondering what he going on about.

"Well then you must know that he is in grave danger from the death eaters. They don't take kindly to traitors and I am afraid his life will be forfeit if we don't provide adequate protection." Hermione felt her heart give a little lurch as Snape talked about the danger that Malfoy was in. She however did not want to get into _that_ right now. Instead she waited for Snape to expand.

"To this end the headmaster and I have decided that he will come under my blood protection. For this purpose the headmaster will conduct an ancient ritual placing Draco under my blood wards. This will ensure his protection in the long run. However this ritual is ancient and demanding and the headmaster has no prior experience with this."

Hermione held her breath totally involved with what Snape was saying but was not sure where the conversation was headed. He continued "we are not sure about the effects of the spell as we have not done it earlier. It might render us unconscious even, in which event we need a third person to make sure that Draco gets back to the hospital wing".

"Much as I detest the idea of putting his life in the hands of an impetuous Gryffindor I am afraid we don't have a choice. Will you, Miss Granger be the third person and ensure that Draco gets back to the hospital wing in case it renders the both of us incapable?"he asked brusquely.

Hermione drew in a breath and contemplated the situation. She ran through what the professor had just said. What he said made perfect sense. It did stand to reason that Draco Malfoy would be in danger and would require protection. Moreover the fact that he had asked _her_ pointed to the fact that they had probably run out of options she thought dryly.

For a moment she thought of denying her involvement but was instantly horrified. No, she would not become embittered with revenge and hard feelings. That was simply not her. Besides if something went wrong she would feel enormous guilt for the rest of her life. The what if? Questions would plague her for the rest of her life.

If there was a chance that a person's life could be protected better who was she to deny the chance? Not to mention it was the life of a boy who had been more on her mind more than she cared to remember. Besides it was not in her nature to deny anyone her help even if it was an arrogant pure blooded albeit handsome man/boy.

She made up her mind "I would be happy to help Professor. When and where should I come?" she asked with perfect clarity.

Severus let out a breath he had not realized that he had been holding."Come to the room of requirement at seven . And thank you. It must not have been an easy decision to make" he added. "Ask to be let into the room where the ritual is going to be conducted and you will find us. Make sure to have an early dinner and now let me not hold you back further. Good day " he said signaling the end of the discussion.

"Good day Sir," Hermione wished back and made her way to the transfiguration classroom. Her life was getting more and more enmeshed with Draco Malfoy and she had no idea if that was good or bad. She shook her head "no, tonight would probably be her last interaction with Draco Malfoy and then things would just go back to normal" she thought.

A smile graced her features as her mind thought about her best friend's reactions to all this. By this time she knew that her two friends would be consumed by curiosity and she would be bombarded with questions as soon as class was over.

She wondered about their reactions, Ron would not understand. For him this was still about Draco Malfoy their enemy. Life was all black and white for him. As for Harry he would not be happy with the scenario but he would understand. At least she hoped so.

 **Author notes :** I thank all those who are following my story even in the absence of updates. I also deeply regret the delay in the update. Real life intruded and I hope that I can get back to faster updates. Of course hearing from you would just give me the motivation and the interest to keep with this….so please read and review! Looking forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts and signing off: )


	17. Chapter 17 praesidio maximus

**Chapter 17 "Praesidio maximus"**

 **Disclaimer** : You all know what I am going to say…yup! All of this sadly belongs to Rowling but not so sure about Draco though!

 **Chapter 17**

Hermione walked to the transfiguration classroom, her mind in a whirl. Too much was happening too fast and all of it seemed to contain Draco Malfoy in it. Was this good or was this bad, she wondered as she entered the class.

Her friends turned to her with curiosity written on their faces and Hermione knew that they were itching to ask her a million questions. She silently took her place next to Harry and concentrated on the class.

As soon as McGonagall dismissed the class her friends immediately turned to her. "So what did _he_ want now?"burst out Ron. Hermione gestured to him to reduce his volume and said "Shh Ron, let's first get out of the classroom and I will tell you".

They exited the classroom and Hermione turned to face the two of them. "Guys, you already know that Draco Malfoy is in trouble, right?".Both of them nodded and she continued "well, Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape are going to conduct a ritual to place Draco under Professor Snape's blood protection, whatever that 's probably something like the wards on your house Harry" she said looking at him meaningfully.

"Okay, but what does that have to do with you?" asked Harry.

"This ritual has not been done before by any of them Harry". Hermione expanded further "The effects are not known. There is a chance that both Snape as well as Draco might be rendered unconscious by it. And God only knows how it might affect Professor Dumbledore."

"In the case that they are rendered unable" she continued holding up a hand to forestall them"they need me to get Draco Malfoy back to the hospital wing" she finished dramatically.

" _What_? Why you? And since when did Malfoy become just Draco?" asked Ron jumping in with the questions, suspicion lacing his voice. Harry in turn piped up "yeah, why you? I mean yeah, you are a brilliant witch and all that but isn't there anyone else who can help?" he asked.

"Who else Harry, you tell me?" Hermione countered. "No one even knows that he is here and no one is sure about where the Slytherin's loyalties lie. So who else _is here_ Harry? Only the three of us have any idea about what is happening and honestly, can you see Professor Snape asking you or Ron?" she asked in return.

Harry kept silent, unable to answer her question. "Okay maybe you have a point but how do _you_ feel about it? Are you _really_ okay with it?"he asked stressing the point. Hermione exhaled "yes Harry I am okay with it. I mean what could possibly go wrong with just helping the Professor?" she asked.

"Mione this is Malfoy and Snape we are talking about. Why would you even want to help?" Ron interrupted. "They can bloody well find their own way I am sure, they are Slytherins for God's sake! Besides you are helping Malfoy not just Snape, you know. This ritual sounds dangerous and I really don't like you being around Malfoy so much" said Ron, his brows drawing together in a frown. His voice was raised and he was starting to change a dangerous shade of red.

Hermione felt her own anger rise and she looked at Ron coldly. "If it was someone else what would you say then, Ron?" she asked icily. Harry sensing an argument of epic proportions in the offing sensibly kept quiet and desperately tried to catch Ron's eye but Ron was as blasé as ever.

"Well if this was someone else, we would not have a problem would we?" He retorted. Hermione drew her own brows together, a sure sign that she was getting rather angry and asked in a tight controlled voice "So we just let him die? Is that it? Just because they are Slytherin, and we call _them_ prejudiced" she added sarcasm in her voice.

"You can't put it quite like that, it's not like that" Ron protested. "Then what is it, if not precisely that?" Hermione persisted. "Is it that he is less of a human being than others or _what_ Ron?"

"Well it is Malfoy"….Ron said hopelessly. "Yes Ron all of us know his name thank you" Hermione said gritting her teeth.

"Look all I am saying is that they can do what they want, but just not with you in the picture" Ron said in a rush digging his grave further.

Harry winced, Merlin! This was soo just the wrong thing to say to Hermione. "Ron perhaps we should"…he started to say but was cut short by Hermione. "Harry leave it, it's obvious that after all these years Ron has no idea as to the kind of person I am" she said and started walking away quite in a huff.

Hermione felt angry, thinking about Ron. Why would he not understand? This was a privilege that not everyone would get. It was an opportunity to do something beyond the realms of being a student and it was a great honor to be trusted with it.

Ron for his part stood stunned while Harry quickly followed Hermione. There were still a lot of things they did not know. He turned to Ron "You go on to class, I will go after her" he said and hurried after Hermione.

He soon matched his pace to hers and asked "Hermione sorry about all that. I do see your point but you can't blame us for being worried do you?" he asked with a sheepish smile. "You _are_ our best friend and we want you to be safe" he added lamely.

Hermione felt herself relaxing. "Thanks for not being a pig about it Harry" she said with a smile.

"You are welcome" he smiled back. "So where is this being done?" he asked bringing the discussion back to the ritual. "In the room of requirement" she replied with a twinkle. Harry stopped short and he could not stop the snort that came out. They looked at each other and started laughing even though there was nothing funny about the situation.

"You don't say?" Harry gasped in between the laughter and followed it with a "When?". "Tonight at seven" Hermione replied. " _What?"_ Harry asked with a flash of alarm. "So soon?.This does not give us any time to prepare Hermione" Harry said and then lapsed into thought." "Prepare for what Harry?" Hermione asked, confused.

'Hermione,' he continued becoming serious again 'look, I am not going to stop you. I kind of understand what you are doing. Hell! I might even do the same thing" he stopped at her incredulous look "what? I will. Yeah this is Malfoy, but even he deserves a break" he said.

"Anyway what I was going to say was this. If at any point you need help in any form call me. You have the coin from DA?" Hermione nodded and Harry continued. "I will have mine on me, when you need help just let me know."

Hermione bit her lip turning over the idea in her head "okay I will, but the message also displays on the other coins. What do we do about that? I really don't want Ron in the picture Harry" she said.

"Yeah there is that. Perhaps we should charm two coins just for this purpose. Do you think you can do that?" He asked looking at her earnestly. Hermione smiled "yeah I can do that. I will do it at lunch. Thanks Harry. You are the best" she said drawing Harry into a hug.

"Now let us scram for the class. Ron must be going spare and it's not a classroom if Hermione Granger is not in it" Harry teased. Hermione made as if to hit him and followed his fast pace thankful that it was only Hagrid's class and they would not be in too much of a trouble. She felt for some reason infinitely lighter knowing that she had Harry on her side. It was a very stressful feeling to be caught between Draco Malfoy and her friends.

When lunchtime rolled by she quickly found Harry and they scrounged up a couple of coins. Quickly she cast the protean charm on them and cast the spells to make them respond only between them. They then made their way in haste to the Gryffindor table where Ron was still seated in a huff.

Hermione made no attempt to talk to him and she was beginning resent Ron making such a big deal out of this. Honestly sometimes his childishness grated on her nerves. Of course she would never have guessed that it was stemming from jealousy again. Harry acted as their go between and it was with relief that they made their way out of the great hall once lunch was done.

In all this drama, they however missed the fact that Severus Snape had been watching them closely throughout the lunch.

 **Severus Snape POV**

Severus Snape watched the goings on between the golden trio with a cynical look. They were up to something and he shuddered to think as to what it could be. Nothing good ever came out of their plans.

He saw Granger and Potter handle something that looked like coins while Weasley sat uncharacteristically silent. Perhaps all was not well in paradise land. He wondered idly if it had do with what he had asked of Granger. As long as Granger did not back out he supposed, he had no reason to worry.

He had to admit that he had been a little worried when he had spoken to Granger. The situation was dire and it would have been even messier if she had not agreed. He could not for the life of him fathom as to why she would agree to help someone who had been as mortal an enemy to Potter as James Potter had been to him.

No Slytherin, himself included would have done it and he reluctantly agreed that maybe this is why they were not Slytherins after all. Perhaps Gryffindors were not so bad but what was she doing with Potter? He wondered.

 **Hermione POV**

Hermione ran through the rest of her classes quickly and headed to the great hall for an early dinner. She could not deny that she was half afraid and half eager with respect to the ritual. She was afraid of the unknown in the sense that she was kind of walking in blind. She would normally spend an eon in the library and would know what to expect, but this time she had had no time.

The other part of her looked forward to seeing the Professors in action doing something that no other student could even imagine. She had been included in something that was unprecedented. It made her feel privileged and she felt good that the professors had placed so much of faith in her. It made her feel proud about herself.

And then there was that, other reason that she had not wanted to acknowledge. To be in the proximity of the Slytherin who had been in her dreams recently. She wanted to test the waters again, see if what she had felt, what she was feeling now was all her imagination. She wanted to convince herself that she felt nothing for Draco Malfoy and this was her chance to prove it.

As she sat at the empty table she was surprised to see Harry come in and sit down next to her. She was however grateful for the company. "Hi how are you feeling? Nervous?" he asked with a concerned expression on his face. Hermione smiled back and nodded "yeah I can't deny that I am nervous and I am glad that you are here."

Harry put an arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him. He would be the big brother that she never had. "Now let's get through this dinner and I will walk with you to the room of requirement. You have the coin on you?" he asked. She nodded and showed him the coin that she had in her pocket. "good" he nodded and they concentrated on dinner each lost in their thoughts.

Soon it was time and they headed to the room of requirement. Harry turned to her "remember at any time you need to call me; don't even think twice just call ok? Don't take chances you hear?. I will be there as soon as possible. And by the way what do I say to get in?" he asked.

"Okay I got that. Just tell the door that you need to be in the room where the ritual is conducted" she responded and walked to the door. Harry stood watching as she chanted the words and saw her disappear into the room of requirement.

He stood there for a few minutes and reluctantly headed back to Gryffindor tower where he knew Ron would be waiting in a most unpleasant mood. It was not an inviting prospect but what else could he do. He slowly made his way feeling a bit nervous himself.

 **Severus Snape**

Severus Snape walked to the hospital wing. It was time to get Draco ready for the ritual. He would get Draco to eat an early dinner and then get him to the room of requirement. He walked in to see Draco sitting up wide awake with a book on his knees.

"Hello Draco, all set to go?" he asked. "As ready as I ever will be I suppose" responded Draco."Have you had anything to eat as yet?" Severus asked as Pomfrey bustled in having heard the voices.

"I was just going to call for dinner Severus. Would you like for me to get dinner for you too?" she asked. "Yes that will be appreciated, thank you" Severus said and made for the chair by Draco's bedside. Sitting on the chair he beckoned to Draco "How are you Draco?" he enquired and was rewarded with a small smile."I am okay Uncle, get tired sometimes but I am ok".

Severus started to speak when they were interrupted by the sound of Pomfrey coming in with the dinner trays. She handed over the trays and discreetly stepped away leaving them to eat.

Severus gestured to Draco to start eating even as he started eating his own dinner. "Draco there is one thing I need to tell you about tonight's ritual" he said and paused, looking at Draco. "what is it Uncle?" Draco asked.

"What we are going to do today is an ancient ritual Draco. It is a more powerful version of what Dumbledore did with you already. This actual ritual has not been tried by us at any point in our lives. In effect it is a new spell that Dumbledore will be doing for the first time in his life." He paused and waited for Draco to react.

"What are you telling me Uncle Severus? That this could be dangerous? That it can result in something else?" Draco asked carefully. Severus sighed "No Draco, I don't think it will be dangerous but there might be side effects that we cannot anticipate. It might cause great pain or even render us unconscious in which case I have enlisted the help of a third person" he said.

A moment of alarm flashed across Draco's face and he asked with trepidation "whom did you ask Severus? Who would help us? Help me? he asked with a little confusion.

"I asked , Draco" Severus bluntly stated assessing Draco's reaction. Draco looked taken aback and Severus saw a relieved look appear on Draco's face. "I take it you approve?" he asked dryly. Draco immediately schooled his features "well it could have been someone worse" he muttered.

Severus however was not fooled. He had been a slytherin for far too long. "Draco, is there something I should know about?"he asked in a stern voice. "No, no nothing." Draco denied vehemently. "Then I think it is time for us to go. You would want to change into robes I assume? Your robes have been mended and cleaned for the time being until we get more. So get dressed and call for me."Severus said stepping away from the bed.

Draco dressed in his robes and for a moment he was overwhelmed with the memories of _that_ night. Pushing back the memories however, he called for Severus and made it known that he was ready. "Would you be able to walk down to the room of requirement? Or would you prefer me to transfigure a wheelchair for you?" asked Severus.

"I would prefer to walk Severus" said Draco immediately. He hated the idea of appearing weak and especially not in front of Hermione. Why that was so important he never knew but there was no denying that some part of him looked forward to seeing her. Knowing that the one soul who would not judge him, would be there was a slight solace.

"No one at Hogwarts knows that you are here as yet Draco, so it will be better for you to be disillusioned right now. I don't want anyone to know just yet" Severus said thoughtfully. Draco nodded, for truth be told, he was not ready to face everyone yet, especially the Slytherins. Soon he felt the sensation of being disillusioned and started to walk alongside Severus Snape towards the room of requirement.

The walk took every ounce of his energy and by the time they reached the door he was quite winded. It became clearly apparent that his health was not exactly in top shape and showed how much more in need of healing he was. But it had felt good to walk under his own steam and he vowed to get back to his fitness level at the earliest.

Looking on both sides of the corridor and seeing no one Severus spoke the words to gain entrance. He entered the room of requirement along with Draco to see that Dumbledore had already arrived.

There was a pentagram inscribed on the floor with candles burning at each end. There was salt in small cups placed at the foot of the candles. Draco felt a shiver run through him and he was not sure if that was because Snape lifted the disillusionment or it was the atmosphere in the room.

"Draco my boy, how are you? Severus.." Dumbledore acknowledged, his voice not reflecting the gravity of the situation. It could have been a tea party for all that one knew Draco reflected dryly. "I am fine Sir" he responded before adding "thank you for doing this for me".

"Hogwarts is open to all those who need help Draco and you are no exception. Now shall we get ready? I will need the both of you to take the centre of the pentagram, if you will." he said pointing to the pentagram at the centre.

Draco and Severus moved to stand at the centre of the pentagram and they could feel the strong pull of magic already in the air. No sooner had they stepped into position, they heard the sound of the door opening and the sound of footsteps. "Good evening, nice of you to join us . Please take a seat outside the pentagram. I believe your participation might be required later on" Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling.

"Good evening Professors, Malfoy" said Hermione back before sinking into the sofa that the room had already provided. Draco and Severus nodded to her and Draco took the chance to sneak a look at her. He let his eyes rove over her hair which was no longer bushy, but instead fell in soft waves. An image of running his hand through that beautiful cascade ran unbidden through his mind.

For the first time he looked, _really_ looked at her face and saw the pert nose, shapely lips and those eyes that he could drown in. He felt the strong urge to feel the taste of those lips against his and the feel of her skin against his own.

"So shall we start the proceedings?" Dumbledore's voice intervened and Draco turned to see the amused twinkle in his eyes. 'God! Did the man miss nothing" he thought.

He jerked back his thoughts and fought for control. Taking a deep breath, he nodded signaling that he was ready. Dumbledore turned to Severus Snape and seeing that he too was ready got in position to conduct the ritual.

Dumbledore's face became serious as he took his wand out and approached the edge of the pentagram. Draco tensed and felt Severus do the same beside him.

Dumbledore lifted his wand and started incanting a string of latin words and slowly the atmosphere started to change. The air became thick with magic and the candles started flickering. He saw Dumbledore make a gesture to Severus, upon which Severus stepped in beside Draco. Dumbledore then pointed his wand directly at Draco's chest and started the incantation anew.

As the pitch of his tone increased, Draco felt the beginnings of a tug on his chest. It felt like something was being pulled out of his chest and he felt a deep pressure on his chest. His hand went to his chest of its own accord and he felt, rather than saw his godfather move behind him.

As Dumbledore kept on with the incantation, the pressure on his chest kept increasing until he was bent at the waist and gasping for breath. Beads of sweat gathered on his forehead and a deep moan was wrenched out of him at the ever increasing pressure.

It felt like he was fighting with a force that did not want to exit from his body. He felt Severus place a hand on his arms and brace him against the onslaught. Just as he felt that he could handle this no more a ball of white light exited from his chest. It traveled its way towards Dumbledore out of the pentagram where it just dissipated into white smoke.

Draco staggered, as the pressure on his chest suddenly let up and he drew in a deep breath. He sank to his knees and groped blindly hoping to hold on to something. He felt his godfather's hand close upon his and was grateful for his godfather's presence as he was slowly pulled to his feet. There was worry written on his godfather's face but Draco knew that they had to go on. He nodded to let him know that he would carry on.

The air was still fraught with powerful magic and the procedure was not done yet. He just wished that he had a few minutes to regain his strength but it was not to be. Severus looked at him keenly looking for weakness and Draco shook his head indicating that he could go on. He wanted to finish this. He was not very sure that he could do this again.

Unconsciously, his eyes strayed to Hermione and he saw the worry in her eyes. Her hands were clenched tight and there was tension in every line of her face. She had jumped to her feet and appeared to be fighting against her instinct to jump into the pentagram.

Draco felt a warm feeling blossom where his heart was. He knew that the worry on her face was for him. He felt something shift deep inside him. Maybe it was the magic of the place but it was a beautiful feeling to know that someone cared about him, cared that he hurt, cared enough to come to help.

Suddenly he wanted more of this, the love and care of another being and wondered if he would ever get it. However this was not the time to think on those lines and reluctantly focused his eyes back on Dumbledore and waited for further instructions.

The magic that had swirled ferociously a moment earlier was now a gentle breeze as Dumbledore halted the incantations. He then spoke "Draco, Severus, I will now start the incantation to mingle your magic and place Draco's magic under yours Severus. You will find a knife and chalice in front of you. Please shed a drop of your blood in the chalice when I say Praesidio maximus".

Draco nodded and straightened up holding onto his godfather. He inhaled deeply and nodded for Dumbledore to continue. Dumbledore took up the wand again and Draco saw a slight tremor in his hands. His face however was calm and composed and Draco realized that the ritual was taking a lot out of Albus Dumbledore too.

Dumbledore started the incantation again and the air in the room started swirling again. It swirled, gaining in pitch and Draco could hear the whirring of the wind pretty much like a storm. He stood transfixed holding onto Severus Snape against the force of the gale.

A few minutes into the gale Draco saw the knife and chalice appear. It was a short dagger with a gilded hilt. The blade was sharp and pointed. He looked at Dumbledore and saw him incant "praesidio maximus". He pointed the wand at them and continued with the incantation.

Severus did not wait and immediately took the knife. He made a small slash on his palm and shed the drops of his blood in the chalice. He then turned to Draco and handed over the knife. Draco took the blade and without thinking about it made a slash on his palm as well.

He winced as the cut burned and the blood slowly welled in the cut. Holding his hand over the chalice he watched as his blood dripped into the cup and mixed with the blood of his godfather that was already there.

Dumbledore spoke steadily " _spiritus ducentia protego me_ " he incanted pushing the magic to react. Draco and Severus tensed knowing that if there was going to be any reaction it would be now. But nothing in their wildest imagination could have prepared them for what happened next.

The blood in the chalice moved and mixed creating an orb that had expanded and become rather like a large ball. The magic in the room swirled and twirled in tandem rising to the ceiling like a tornado. The force of the wind extinguished the candles plunging the room in darkness.

Draco stood spell bound caught in the grip of the wind and unsure as to whether a lumos was allowed. He stood fighting to stay on his feet against the wind when he heard a soft female voice call out "lumos maxima". The wind had risen in pitch and was now so strong that he could hardly see Hermione who was standing just a few feet away. He felt the wind pushing against him threatening to knock him down. Severus held onto him as they held their ground against the rough wind.

The occupants of the room stood waiting for the wind to abate, when the orb of blood suddenly rose in the air and split into two. Before anyone could understand what was happening the orbs plunged into Draco's and Severus's chest bringing the both of them to their knees.

Draco felt the orb slam into him with the force of a sledgehammer and saw Severus sag beside him. Obviously he had felt the same effects as he. For a moment there was a respite and then he felt the pressure build again. This time the pressure was double as he felt the combined effect of both his and Severus's magic pressing on his chest.

His chest felt like it was buried under a ton of bricks and he felt his breath coming in gasps. As the pressure built even impossibly further, he could not hold back his cries of pain. He felt the injured skin on his chest burn and wondered fleetingly if Voldemort was feeling something of this.

The pain was overwhelming by now and he was no longer aware of his surroundings. He reflexively curled in on himself trying to lessen the pain and was dimly aware of Severus lying on the ground beside him. It looked like his godfather had already been knocked out.

He tried to turn a bit to see what Hermione was doing but it was simply too much effort. His vision was beginning to tunnel and there were black spots edging in already.

He would have gladly succumbed to the darkness if he did not have her voice asking him to hold on. He felt soft warm hands on his arms as she tried to pull him ! A gasp of pain erupted from him and he felt her change her position.

He felt her hands sliding around his shoulders and for a few minutes he just lay nestled against her chest as she struggled to pull him up. She felt warm and soft, her robes smelt of lavender and it was all so beautifully feminine.

He heard her voice telling him that everything will be fine and for some reason he believed her. He turned her face into her body and inhaled her sweet scent. He could have stayed like that forever, but he did not want to trouble her in any way.

He heard her voice chant "hold on Draco, hold on, please hold on" in a litany and he struggled to listen to her. His name coming from her lips felt oh! so good. It brought a small smile to his lips as he fought to open his eyes. He wanted to see her face, her eyes, and her expression. With a tremendous force of will he opened his eyes to see her face just above his.

Her deep honey eyes were shadowed with concern and worry. Her face was screwed up in worry and her lips were chanting her litany.

He tried to tell her that he was fine and not to worry but all that came out was a groan. "Granger …"he groaned unable to say anything more.

"Hold on Draco, I will take you back to the hospital wing" she murmured. He was in no shape to respond however as his vision tunneled in and the blackness took over. His last coherent thought was "Oh God! I will be too heavy for her! But still he did not doubt that she would do as she promised. This was after all Granger" he thought wryly as he slipped into darkness.

 **Author notes** As always I thank those of you who have tagged me on your alerts. Karen thank you for those kind words, for some reason fan fiction did not allow me to thank you directly. It would not be remiss to say that you inspired me to give it my all in this chapter and I really hope it measures up.

I am also working on clearing up the typos in the earlier chapters. It took me a while to figure out how the technology works and I believe things will get better with time.

As for the incantations used in this chapter "praesidio maximus" means maximum protection according to the internet and the other spell was taken from a site for latin protection spells. I don't know the authenticity of these data and if there is some error you can probably blame the internet! And poetic license!

I will also never stop asking for reviews and guys you really need to let me know your thoughts on this story! So please review! I promise to take your suggestions into account and if you think you want some scenes that you would like to read, I will try to think of a way to get it into the story. So until later ciao, take care. Keep reading!


	18. Chapter 18 Progress

**Chapter 18 progress**

 **Disclaimer:** You have already heard this; I own nothing …perhaps imagination.

 **Hermione's POV**

Hermione walked into the room to see Professor Dumbledore standing at the head of a pentagram which had candles burning at each end. There were small bowls of salt placed at the foot of the candles. There was a faint buzz of magic in the air as she sank into the sofa that the room seemed to have provided for her at one side of the pentagram. She saw Malfoy and Severus Snape standing at the centre of the pentagram awaiting instructions.

For the first time she saw Malfoy without the arrogance and a sneer adorning his features. She covertly looked at him and noticed that at some point he had shot up and was now pretty tall. He was no longer scrawny and she could see that the muscles in his chest and shoulders had become well developed.

She sneaked a glance at him and saw the soft blonde hair falling on his forehead and idly wondered if it was as soft as it looked. It was definitely a most unique shade of blonde which was totally complimented by those amazing grey eyes. One day she was going to regret ever looking at those eyes she knew, but she could not help but be entranced by them. They were the most amazing blue-grey depending on his mood.

She was startled when for just a split second the subject of her rumination looked up and straight at her. His eyes caught hers and she felt a jolt at the contact causing a blush to rise in her cheeks. And then just as suddenly he turned away and it was like it never happened.

She could not deny that he was he was incredibly handsome with that soft chiseled lips and the stormy eyes and wondered if she was going to be in hot water soon. She however mentally shook her head and came to attention as Dumbledore started the incantation to signal the start of the proceedings.

She felt her heart pound in anxiety as she felt the atmosphere begin to change. She also saw the change on Malfoy's face as he started feeling some kind of a strain. She felt her anxiety increase as she saw him reeling under some kind of pressure and she could now visibly see the strain he was under. Every instinct in her screamed that she should run to him and make him sit down or something but she held herself back. This was not the time.

When he suddenly went to his knees however she could hardly contain herself. She decided that she did not like to see the proud Draco Malfoy in any kind of pain and she wondered if this was the time for her to enter the pentagram. It took all her will power to not enter the pentagram instantly.

When a white light finally exited from his chest she was fascinated in spite of herself and she exhaled slightly in relief. Whatever was causing the pain was now out. She hated to see anyone in pain and the fact that it was someone her age that was undergoing so much of it was distressing.

She clenched her fist as she saw Severus Snape help Draco back to his feet and wondered if she should also help. God! Will they never stop for a break? She ranted in her head. It was so obvious that Draco needed it.

Didn't they see that he was in pain.?She glanced at the headmaster hoping that he would call for a break but she realized that they were getting ready to get into the next part of the ritual and that it could not be interrupted.

She also saw Draco take a deep breath and brace himself for the next part of the ritual. He seemed to be paler and a faint sheen of sweat coated his forehead. Her heart skipped a beat and she felt a stab of pain in her chest when she saw the slash on his palm and against her will she felt the faint shadow of tears in her eyes. She had no idea as to why Draco Malfoy's pain was affecting her so much when in fact she had seen a lot of it being around Harry Potter.

But she was startled out of her thoughts when Dumbledore started the next part of the ritual. The wind suddenly rose in pitch and the room was plunged in darkness. Instinctively guessing that perhaps the participants could not use magic she took out her wand and muttered 'lumos maxima' and was relieved to see some light again. Thankfully the ritual did not prevent her participation she thought to herself. It was beginning to look like a good thing for a third person to be present.

She stood tensely unable to sit when she saw the orb of blood rise and split into two and then make a beeline for Draco and Severus Snape. She was momentarily stunned when she saw it split and plunge into Draco and Severus Snape. That was not something anyone could have anticipated. Severus Snape immediately collapsed and she saw Dumbledore sink to his knees too in sheer exhaustion.

Hermione took a tentative step when Snape went down but could not hold back herself when she heard Draco cry out in pain. She raced to his side and caught him as he collapsed. She angled his body so that her left arm was under his shoulders and slowly lowered him so that his head rested on her thighs. His eyes were screwed tight in pain and she felt his head turn into her body in what could only be an intimate gesture.

As he lay in her lap she could not help feel protective and her motherly instincts came to the fore. She tried to lift him up gently but immediately felt the difficulty of the task. Putting a bit more of herself into the effort she managed to lift him a few inches when his eyes opened and she saw right into those gorgeous grey eyes now laced with pain and grogginess.

She heard him call out her name and she came almost undone as she resolved to somehow get him to the hospital wing. She was not Hermione Granger for nothing she told herself. She placed the now unconscious Draco Malfoy in her lap once more and took out the charmed galleon. It was time to call out for back up.

"Harry, please come. I need you" she wrote on the galleon and waited for help to arrive. In the silence that reigned for Albus Dumbledore was resting too with his eyes closed, she could not resist running her hands through the soft blonde locks.

Tenderly she brushed away the locks from his forehead marveling at the softness of the hair. They were like fine feathers she mused, fine and misty. But she was interrupted from her musings by the sound of the door opening. That must be Harry she thought with surprise .He had made it here in record time she thought, filing it away for a later time.

Harry rushed to her and sank to his knees beside Hermione."What happened Mione? What do you need me to do?" he asked quickly taking in the scene. Hermione turned to him "we need to get Malfoy to the hospital wing, I will explain later. But can you check on the Professors first?" she asked.

Harry nodded in reply and rushed to Professor Dumbledore's side. Dumbledore slowly wrenched his eyes open and gave a slight smile "I will be fine Harry, but please do get them both to the hospital wing quickly" he whispered. "We will do that and come back for you Professor" said Harry and went back to Hermione's side.

"Mione what next?" he asked without wasting time. Hermione thought for a moment and called out "we will need a wheelchair". In response the room immediately conjured a wheelchair and Hermione turned to Harry. "Harry this is where I need your help. Help me lift him up into the chair please" she said. Harry wasted no time and bent down on the other side of Draco Malfoy. He took hold of Malfoy's arm and gave a tug. With Hermione helping from the other side they managed to hoist the unconscious teen into the wheelchair.

Harry then turned to Hermione for directions. She concentrated and asked for another wheelchair which Harry understood to be for Professor Snape. They soon repeated the procedure and had the Professor seated on the wheelchair. "They cannot be seen in this condition Harry. Do you have your invisibility cloak by any chance?" She asked.

"I do Hermione. I needed it myself to get here. It is past curfew you know but only one of them can fit in. I guess we need to run two trips. Come let's get started" he said gesturing for Hermione to get started. Hermione quickly covered Draco and the wheelchair with the cloak and watched it do it's job. She could not however avoid the pang of anxiety she felt when the visage of Draco Malfoy disappeared from view.

Setting a rapid pace, the both of them made their way out of the room peeking at first to make sure that nobody was in the corridors. They made their way to the hospital wing without incident, and were relieved that the hospital wing was empty. Other students in the wing were a complication that they did not need. Hermione called out for the matron and was immediately rewarded with her quick steps.

She had obviously been filled in, and she quickly gestured to the farthest bed with the privacy curtain already drawn. Hermione removed the cloak and pushed the wheelchair forward while Harry followed lingering behind. Once they reached the bed Harry stepped forward and helped to shift Malfoy to the bed.

As Hermione leaned forward she was distinctly aware of her hands below Malfoy's strong back. She could feel the rippling muscles shift under her hands and she wondered at the smoothness of his skin even through the robes. Harry caught her eye and his eyebrows lifted while she fought not to blush.

Once Draco was placed on the bed Harry looked at her and said "Hermione perhaps you should be here and I can get Professor Snape". "Harry are you sure you can manage by yourself?" she asked in turn torn between wanting to stay with Draco Malfoy and placing Harry in a difficult position. "No offense Hermione but I seemed to have done most of the work with Malfoy. So no problem I am sure that I can manage okay?"he said with a smile and walked away with his cloak before Hermione could get a word in.

She was brought back to reality with a jolt as Poppy Pomfrey was now waving her wand over Draco Malfoy looking for her diagnosis. Muttering to herself she then went to her potions cabinet and came back laden with a few potions. She prised open her patient's mouth and poured the potions down his throat one by one.

"How is he madam Pomfrey?" asked Hermione tentatively. "His magical core has taken a lot of strain which I am afraid has setback his progress a bit. But I am happy to say that he seems to have suffered no other complications and will recover fully with adequate rest. God knows the poor boy needs a reprieve. He has been to hell and back in my opinion" she said with a sad sigh. "I need to get the things ready for Professor Snape, you can sit here if you want for some time. But don't expect him to wake. He is under a sleeping potion and I anticipate that he will sleep through the night" she added sternly.

Hermione nodded and fell silent as she silently agreed with the elderly witch. Yes he had been through hell and worse. Once Poppy Pomfrey moved away Hermione pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed. She sat looking at the sleeping form of Draco Malfoy lost in thought. He looked so much at peace without the mask that he wore for so long and she wondered at the perfection of his features. She gently carded her hand through his hair offering him comfort and almost willing his troubles to go away.

It seemed that his subconscious acknowledged her caresses as his body relaxed just a little bit more. She sat in the silence of the hospital wing with her thoughts turning to Harry when the subject of her rumination walked in calling out for Madam Pomfrey.

She got up from the chair and walked upto Harry "Did everything go alright Harry? Did you have any trouble?" she asked him anxiously. Harry shook his head in the negative "No Hermione nothing to worry, no one saw us. Don't worry. Let us get him on the bed and allow Madam Pomfrey to help him" he responded.

Hermione helped to get Professor Snape on the bed and both of them stepped back to let Poppy do her job. They watched as she went through the same motions as she did for Draco Malfoy. Harry turned to madam Pomfrey and added "Madam Pomfrey, Professor Dumbledore said he will rest in the room of requirement but that he will need a strengthening potion to get him by". Pomfrey immediately handed him a vial of the potion which he put in the pocket of his robe.

He then motioned for Hermione to follow him as he walked a few feet away. "How is he?" he asked and Hermione responded with what Pomfrey had told her "he needs to rest and repair his core, at least that's what Madam Pomfrey told me. But otherwise he seems to be okay". She said.

Harry nodded slowly "and I suppose you want to be here when he wakes up?" he added with a shrewd look. Hermione looked up startled, she would never have imagined Harry to be perceptive but then she had sometimes underestimated him. In fact the whole world underestimated him sometimes. "Is that wrong Harry?" she asked throwing it back to him.

He contemplated her question and answered "no it's not, I suppose but I would want you to be very careful with where you are going Mione. I don't like to see you hurt" he said softly.

Hermione nodded her assent; yes everything was pretty much scrambled including her feelings. "Honestly Harry, too many things are happening too suddenly but right now all I want is to see for myself that he is okay. That's all" she reiterated. At least that's what she wanted to believe but her sensible self intervened to ask as to why the same concern did not arise for Professor Snape. She was however glad that Harry did not dig further mainly because she would not have any answers to give him.

She sighed in resignation and started walking out of the hospital wing with Harry. They made their way back to the room of requirement in silence crouched under the invisibility cloak. Once inside they saw that Dumbledore was resting on a bed that the room had provided. They made their way to him and softly called his name.

Dumbledore opened his eyes and regarded them warmly "thank you Miss Granger, Harry.I take it that the both of them are in the hospital wing safely?"he asked. Harry took it upon himself to answer "Yes Sir, they are both okay and resting in the hospital wing. I also have the strengthening potion for you sir" he said taking out the vial from his robes.

He then helped Dumbledore sit up and swallow the potion. Almost immediately the color rushed into Dumbledore's face and he sat up straighter. "I think I will retire to my rooms and I am sure that you would want to the same. It's been a long day for you both. I thank both of you again. Good night" he said standing up and heading to the door. Harry and Hermione followed him out of the door and encased themselves in the cloak again.

They made their way back to Gryffindor tower and headed to their different dorms after bidding each other good night. Both of them were dead tired and had no energy for anymore conversation. Everything else would have to wait for the morning.

As soon as Hermione woke up however her first thought went to the blonde grey eyed slytherin. She wondered how he was faring and made short work of her morning rituals in her eagerness to get to the hospital wing. Briefly she contemplated waiting for Harry but with Ron in the vicinity it would become something bigger she knew.

So with a little bit of trepidation she made her way to the hospital wing. It seemed weird to be visiting Draco Malfoy purposefully. What if he looked down on her for that? What if he sneered his infamous sneer and made fun of her visit? She knew that that would be the most mortifying thing ever and she was secretly glad that she came alone.

However the minute she entered the hospital wing her insecurity grew in size and she almost backed out but then she was a Gryffindor at heart. Gathering her courage, she approached his bed to see him sleeping peacefully.

The morning sun cast it's rays on the bed and she saw him frown unconsciously as the rays fell on his face. She cast around for a seat to perch on but unable to find one, she turned around only to find herself looking into his now fully open grey eyes. She gasped in surprise but immediately fell silent unsure on how to proceed further.

"How are you"? she asked tentatively holding her breath. And then her breath was blown out of her as he slowly smiled. Not a sneer, not an arrogant smirk but a real smile. It brought a twinkle to his eyes and she felt herself drowning in the magic of it. It transformed his whole face and made him so much more beautiful.

"I am fine" he said his voice coming out in a dry rasp. Hermione realized the need for water and looked around the room. Spotting some water she got up to fill some in a cup. "Can you sit up Malfoy?" she asked as he supported himself with his hands and sat up slowly. She moved to shift the pillows behind him when she realized that she still held the cup of water in her hand. Draco noticing the dilemma reached out and gently prised the cup from her hands while she busied herself with fluffing the pillows behind him.

He sipped the water and saw that she was nervous and realized that he could very well be the cause of it. It made him a little sad that he would make her nervous, not that he blamed her for it. "I assume that you managed to get me to the hospital wing?" he asked looking for affirmation. When she nodded he continued "thanks that must not have been an easy task. Sorry for causing the trouble" he said softly.

"No it was no trouble. I…I was worried. It seemed that you were in pain. Are you better now?" she replied equally softly. Draco looked at her in silence taking in her appearance. How he ever thought that she was ordinary was beyond him now as he truly saw her beauty.

"Thank you for the concern, not many would have cared" he muttered and looked away with a flash of pain in his eyes. Hermione moved forward and tentatively took his hand in hers, effectively capturing his attention again. At the fringe of her consciousness she noticed that her hand almost disappeared in his even as she felt the warmth emanating from his. But somehow her hand being encased in his was not intimidating at all, if at all it felt right. His skin was smooth and dry emanating soothing warmth.

He did not attempt to break free, but instead held onto her hand, even more firmly encasing hers in his. He marveled at how well her hand melted in his and steadily held her gaze. Both of them were caught in the heat of the moment and without breaking his gaze he slowly brought up his other hand and cupped her cheek. She froze at his touch but did not resist as he shifted his hand to the nape of her neck and slowly pulled her forward. "So beautiful" he murmured before pulling her forward incessantly.

She felt dazed as she was pulled forward and she unconsciously closed her eyes as she felt his lips on hers. It was a light and tentative touch but once he realized that she had not pushed him away he tightened his grip and deepened the kiss.

Hermione was lost in the sensation; nothing was real anymore. Her initial panic faded as she became aware of the waves of pleasure coursing through her. She could not stop as her body responded and it was she who was clutching him to her now and making a small moan of pleasure. After what could have been hours but in reality a few minutes they separated coming up for air.

Once separated, she found it difficult to hold his gaze. She had made a fool of herself and decided that perhaps she should get out of the hospital wing right now. For all she knew he might be regretting his lapse already. She was furious at herself and felt highly flustered. She made to get up from the bed and make a hasty retreat but was stopped by his hold on her hand.

She looked down in a daze and saw that he was still holding onto her hand. Slowly she looked up at him expecting to see the familiar derision and smirk as he laughed at her stupidity. But she was stunned to see that there was none of those expressions on his face. Instead he held her gaze calmly without making any move on relinquishing his hold.

"Please don't go Granger ….Hermione" he said in a soft hesitant voice. "I can see the doubts on your face but please…I am not the same man" he said. She started to protest but he stilled her "I don't regret this, do you?" he asked in a slightly unsure voice.

"Malfoy…" she started but stopped as he held up his hand "Draco, call me Draco…I don't want to be a Malfoy any more than necessary" he interrupted. "Okay Draco then…to answer your question no I don't regret it, at least I don't think so". …she trailed off with a deep blush darkening her cheeks. Draco smiled, at least it had not been a straight yes, but before he could say anything they heard the sound of footsteps on the tile floor.

He hastily let go of her hand as she quickly moved away from him. Poppy Pomfrey came into view "good morning , Miss Granger here already?"she asked even as she started the diagnostics with her wand. "You are healing nicely . I will need you to stay in bed and replenish your core today but maybe by tomorrow you can be up and about, provided that you clear the scans of course. Now I would like to get on with your breakfast . Miss Granger I think it is time for you to head down to breakfast as well." She said in her professional manner.

"Can I come by later Madam Pomfrey?' Hermione asked tentatively. Pomfrey raised her eyebrows, surprised at the request and said "I didn't know that you two were friends but in light of recent events you may I suppose".

Hermione turned to Draco and waved goodbye with a "see you later then Mal…I mean Draco" but he stopped her "wait a minute Granger". Hermione turned curiously "last night how did you transfer me here?" he asked. She smiled primly and answered "oh! That.. Harry helped me" and before Draco could swipe the stunned look of his face she walked away with a brisk pace.

"Well, I'll be damned" he murmured as Poppy Pomfrey had an amused smile on her face. "Well would you prefer if they had left you behind?" she asked dryly. "Now eat your breakfast and rest" she commanded before turning to walk away.

But Draco suddenly realized that he had not asked about his godfather and felt ashamed that he had been so lost in other things. "How is Professor Snape?' he called out and was relieved to hear Poppy Pomfrey call back "same as you. Now stop talking and eat child" she ordered.

 **Author Notes** : I thought this was a good point to stop. As usual I thank those of you who think that this is a good read. Reviews to let me know your thoughts will be much appreciated. Hope the day treats you good. Take .


	19. Chapter 19 to be or not to be

**Disclaimer:** Harry Potter has nothing to do with me!

 **Chapter 19 To be or not to be**

Hermione turned and walked toward the Great Hall lost in thought. _What the hell just happened?_ She had just let Draco Malfoy, scion of the dark, and prat extraordinaire kiss her. Whatever had possessed her to do that she wondered. Things were awkward enough without _THIS_ adding to the picture.

Maybe she was just drawn to him because he was hurt and in pain she told herself but then her mind scoffed at the idea. Would she still be keen to kiss him if he was not so good looking, her inner self questioned slyly. Her conscience twinged and a raging battle ensued in her mind torn between the righteousness of kissing Draco Malfoy versus the mind numbing pleasure the act incited.

Finally realizing that she was not going to get anywhere with this argument Hermione came to a decision. Things were messy enough as it was and she definitely did not need the complication of having Draco Malfoy in the picture. She would keep her distance from him from now on she vowed. She would help if required and that was it. He had Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore to look out for him and he _did_ not need her for a keeper.

Her mind calm with the decision she had made, she stepped into the Great Hall to have her breakfast in peace. She made her way to where her friends were seated and eased into the place by Harry. He turned to her and made his own enquiry in a low tone. "How is he Mione?" he asked to which she replied "He is okay Harry, tired but okay. He just needs to rest". She then turned to the Professor's table and saw Dumbledore seated looking almost like himself.

Harry caught her looking at Dumbledore and said "He looks fine; the potion seems to have worked". As if he heard them, both of them were rewarded with a twinkling look from Dumbledore and Hermione could have sworn that he gave them a small wink.

"So is there a reason that you are looking so disturbed?" Harry persisisted. "Did Malfoy say anything nasty?" he asked. "No, Harry nothing like that. It's just all these events got to me for a while" she replied knowing that she sounded rather lame. Harry looked doubtful and scanned her face thoughtfully, but then nodded to himself "If you say so" he acquiesced much to Hermione's relief.

He then turned to her as a sudden thought occurred to him "what about Snape?" he asked "how is he?" to which Hermione said "Last I know he was still sleeping or unconscious Harry. Why do you ask?".Harry gave an amused smile and lazily replied "Hermione it is potions first, that's why. Wonder how Dumbledore is going to explain that one".

"Hmm true, this is all very messy isn't it?" Hermione asked. "What is, Hermione?" Harry asked with an innocent expression and a twinkle in his eye. Hermione shoved him with a smile but became serious as a different thought ran through her mind. "Does Ron know everything?" she asked a feeling of guilt running through her as she thought of the kiss she had shared with Draco.

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair wearily, as his expression turned serious too. "I did fill him in, but you know him. He is being ….well Ron, if you know what I mean". Hermione in turn sighed "Does he not understand that this was the Professor's trust in me, my chance to do something useful for Professor Dumbledore?" she asked distressed.

"The problem is not that you helped Mione, it is that you helped Malfoy" Harry supplied drily. "Well I didn't do the choosing" Hermione retorted before continuing "and if he wants to be difficult about it there's nothing that I can do. For that matter you helped too, how come he is not mad at you? But on second thoughts I assume that is the reason he is not sitting with you and rather with Neville?" She asked primly.

Harry nodded and Hermione huffed "Of all the immature things….what about you Harry are _you_ ok with this? I know that you helped and all that, but did you mean it?" She asked desperately. Harry looked at her seriously "If there's one person who has been a victim of destiny and circumstances it's me Hermione. How can I not understand this?" he asked earnestly.

Hermione smiled and threw her arms around him, thankful to have his support. She then proceeded to eat in silence and was almost done when Dumbledore rose up to address the students. "Good morning. I am sure that all of you have noticed that Professor Snape is not present this morning. But there is no cause for concern as it is a temporary situation that will be corrected soon as he will resume classes from tomorrow. In the meantime I advise all of you to utilize the library services in the hour allotted to potions in your schedule. Now please proceed onto your different schedules now and enjoy the day."

Hermione and Harry got up, Hermione glanced at Ron. Ron turned away his face creased in a scowl. Hermione sighed and turned away too. It was futile to try and talk to him now. It would not end well and she was not in the mood to get into an argument now.

Ginny however came across to them with a smile. Once she reached them she said in a low voice "Hermione you came in very late last night. What's going on?" she asked in a voice laden with curiosity. Hermione looked around and responded "I am very sorry Ginny; I am not at liberty to talk about it." She said sorrowfully. "Okay….but just tell me one thing. Is that the reason why Ron is mad? Does it have anything to do with the world's greatest prat?" Ginny asked keeping her voice low.

Hermione nodded "yes to both counts, but let's not get into that now please" she requested. "Fine I will leave you to it; I have to head down to transfiguration anyway. See you later then" said Ginny and walked towards her own classmates.

Hermione heaved a sigh of relief and headed to the library. Handling one Weasley was difficult enough. Moreover it would be useful to get updated on the blood wards concept she realized. It might help in the future after all. She looked to see where Harry was and saw him talking to Dean and Seamus. He however separated from them on seeing her and came to her side where they walked to the library together.

She turned to see Ron walk with Neville with a morose look and for just a moment she was tempted to wait for him. Beside her, Harry seemed to be in the same dilemma but the problem was soon solved as Ron walked past them much to the curious looks of the others.

Huffing in annoyance Hermione resumed her way to the library while Harry fell silent beside her.

 **Draco's POV**

Draco lay on the bed the last half an hour playing on his mind. He could not help thinking about how perfect the kiss had been. It had been well….magical for lack of a better word. He had been lost in the sweetness of her lips and the way her body had melted against his. It had been perfect…no _they_ had been perfect.

But what did it all mean? Was it just a moment of lust? he wondered. Was it that she pitied him and therefore was tolerating him? He could not define what had transpired and it made him very uneasy.

There was no denying that her acceptance had been soothing to his injured heart. Her concern had touched him, there were not many people who had cared for him that way nor would there be. It had felt incredibly nice to be held and cared for and he had craved it. It had felt like _he_ mattered. But again where was all this heading? Was it just a pitiable cry for help and companionship on his part or something more?

Whatever it was, it was not a simple case of lust, he knew that. This felt like something more. But then what if it was more? Hermione was not the kind of person who would just have a casual fling and he could not stomach the thought of using her that way. To her, relationships were deep and meaningful Draco realized. It was in keeping with the person that she was and Draco just did not have experience in that department.

Slytherins just did not work that way. Everything was a matter of profit or loss, more like business to Hermione was a breath of fresh air; this way of thinking would just disgust her he thought with a smile.

But it was no use. Any which way he looked at it, he knew that he was not ready for a serious relationship right now. His life was just too messed up and he neither had the mindset nor the circumstances to live a relationship right now. To offer anything else would not be acceptable to Hermione.

This basically left him in the situation that he would have to remain strictly at the friendship level. He sighed deeply, not to mention, he did not know how the Weasel fit into her life. All was settled then. Be a good friend to Hermione and think of repaying her kindness and leave it at that he told himself.

But just thinking that caused his heart to clench. She was special and it hurt to keep the distance when all he wanted was the opposite, but unfortunately his stars were all crossed. Besides he thought with chagrin, he had dug his own grave with his past actions. He mentally kicked himself. Could he have been more blasé and misguided? Had it been so necessary to antagonize the trio? He wondered.

Anyway there was no help for that, he simply did not deserve her and he just would have to remind himself of that. There was no point in going around in circles, he could argue with himself over this for ages.

He exhaled and then wondered if Snape was up and about. He should probably check on him he thought. Gingerly he got up and for just a moment his head spun crazily but it soon passed. Taking a deep breath he lowered his legs to the side of the bed and stood up. It felt good to stand up without feeling dizzy and a small smile played on his lips involuntarily. He was becoming quite sick of staying in bed.

He made his way slowly towards the bed adjacent to his and saw Snape lying on it. His face was relaxed in sleep. Draco made his way near Snape when his eyes flew open. Draco waited silently for Snape to be oriented to his surroundings and spoke when Snape's eyes rested on him with clarity. Draco remembered how thirsty he had been when he had awoken and immediately filled a glass with water.

He extended the glass to Snape who slowly sat up and took the glass of water. Draco adjusted the pillows behind the Professor and asked softly "How are you sir?"

Snape nodded and said curtly "it will take more than that to get me down. The more relevant question is how you are?" he asked in turn. Draco nodded "I am fine sir. But I am quite sick of the hospital wing .I would like to get out of here." He said.

Snape nodded and said slowly "You might get your wish sooner than you think Draco. The headmaster and I feel that it is time for you to get back to your classes and for that you will need a wand. We will go to Diagon Alley this weekend and by Monday you can move back to the dorm. The headmaster will make an announcement that your mother passed away and that is why you are joining late. Is that okay by you?" he asked.

"It is alright except for a couple of things" Draco responded. Snape waited for him to expand which Draco did "well for one thing, I don't; have any money to shop with and if my assumptions are right we will be polyjuiced to go to Diagon Alley. This effectively stops me even trying to get into my vault. And the second thing is the reactions of the other Slytherins. What would their reactions be Uncle?" he wondered.

"Draco, you don't have to worry about money. You are my Godson and I will be providing for you. Your mother is no more and your father is as good as, which means that you come to me." Seeing the hesitation on Draco's face he added in a soft voice that no one would associate with Professor Snape "I want to do this Draco. You understand? Never think that I am doing this out of a sense of duty or that it is a forced decision alright?"

Draco nodded reluctantly, it was not like he had any choice either while Snape continued. "As for the slytherins you have to be on guard. Many of them have connections in the Dark Lord's circle and they will see you as a traitor. The fact that I am the head of house will help matters some but not entirely. I have managed to retain my position in the Dark Lord's circle but it might not take us very far. We are both under scrutiny. That is a fact."

By this time their voices had travelled back to Poppy Pomfrey and she bustled in carrying the same set of potions that she had given Draco. Snape grimaced and grumbled but took the potions under the glare of the matron.

"When are you going to release me from this infernal place?"he grumbled. Poppy Pomfrey however was the least bit intimidated and tartly replied "If you both behave I will let you go by this evening. Until then concentrate on resting and becoming better." She then made her way back to her office so that she could get onto the matter of breakfast for her patients.

"If we get released today Uncle Sev, where do I go?" Draco asked, a flash of pain in his eyes. "You stay with me in my quarters Draco, until the time comes for you to move into the dorm" Snape replied. "We can put the time to good use Draco, I will teach you a bit of wand less magic which I believe will come in handy."

Draco nodded eagerly "yes Uncle Severus, I will learn whatever is required for me to survive. I don't want to be caught on the wrong foot ever" he said fervently.

"For that you need to first become totally healthy and fit. So go rest now and let us concentrate on getting out of the mad woman's clutches" he said drily.

Draco chuckled and got up from the bed where he had perched next to his godfather. "I will let you rest too Uncle .Would it be possible to get some books though?" He asked "I am going spare" he added in frustration.

Severus Snape raised his brows "I will request for some books to be sent, don't fret" he said. Once Draco had moved to his own bed Severus sent his patronus to Dumbledore asking him to bring up some books for Draco.

A few minutes after sending the patronus, Dumbledore himself strode in his customary Purple robes. Severus grimaced "Do you have to exude such _cheer_ Albus?"Are you planning to blind me old man? He groused.

Dumbledore smiled widely, his eyes twinkling madly "nice to see you too Severus. So how are you and young " he asked solicitously."We are fine Albus. I just told him about the visit to Diagon Alley and about the need to learn wand less magic." He filled in.

"A most excellent idea Severus" he enthused "wand less magic is definitely a useful subject to know .But do be careful when you go to Diagon Alley Severus, I would not like to see you in the infirmary again".

"I will take care Albus" Snape replied. "I also feel that Draco should start his classes on Monday and I will appreciate it if you make the announcement regarding his return soon" he said.

Dumbledore nodded and Snape became wary of the twinkle in the headmaster's eyes. He was sure that Albus Dumbledore was going to come up with something that he would not like. As expected he said "Yes I will make the announcement tomorrow at breakfast. I also feel that sending the two of you alone to Diagon Alley might not be the safest idea".

"Severus", He said putting up a hand to forestall Snape's objections "yes I know that you will be polyjuiced and that you are capable of taking care of yourself but then both of your magic is now linked. If one goes down the other will be affected too and then both of you will be vulnerable. I would like to send some Order members as back up and I don't want to listen to any arguments."

Snape's face became stormy as he snarled "I don't need anyone to babysit me Albus. I am quite capable of taking care of myself and my godson".

"Please Severus, I implore you, indulge an old man will you" he said. Severus fell silent as he contemplated the old man's words. It did make sense as his magic was now linked to Draco's. "Alright, but I don't want a big drama over this you understand? Just a couple of people and for God's sake let them stay out of sight" he reluctantly acquiesced.

"Thank you Severus, that's settled then. Now, about Draco, I will send someone with some books for him to read as unfortunately your patronus reached me rather late". "Who are you going to send Albus?Severus enquired. "I would like to remind you that No one is aware of Draco being here" he added.

"We are talking about books Severus, can't you honestly think of someone in relation to it?" Dumbledore asked with a twinkle. Severus groaned "Not Miss. Granger again". Dumbledore smiled his eyes twinkling madly "why ever not Severus, why ever not? Now I will take your leave. Take care and I will see you back in full swing tomorrow" he said and got up from Severus's bedside.

He then made his way to Draco's bedside "good morning Draco. How are you"? he asked solicitously. Draco sat up in the bed and responded "I am fine sir, can't wait to get out of here though" he said. "Ah yes, I understand that you must be bored now that you are on the way to good health. I will send someone with books for you to get by Draco and hopefully you can move to professor Snape's quarters tomorrow. Until then rest and take care Draco. Remember we are all here for you son" he said.

Draco nodded when suddenly he sat up "professor one minute." Dumbledore halted and turned back with an enquiring look. "Who is coming with the books sir?" Draco asked hesitatingly. "Is there a reason for you to be asking this Draco?" Dumbledore asked, peering at him over the half moon glasses.

Draco shook his head half heartedly "I was just wondering sir" he said lamely. "Why Draco, would it be a problem if I send ? She is after all very knowledgeable on the subject".

Draco fell silent caught in his own quandary. It would be very awkward after what transpired earlier but he could hardly tell Dumbledore that. So he nodded "it's alright sir" he said in a low voice. Dumbledore gave a benign smile and said "well that's fine then. Rest now child" he said and made his way out the door.

Draco sat digesting the new information. What the hell was happening? The more he sought to stay from Hermione the more they were getting thrown together. It was almost as if fate was conspiring against them. He heaved a deep sigh; there was nothing he could do after all, as he waited for Hermione to come. Idly he wondered what her reaction would be.

Would she be already regretting getting close to him? Would she be regretting the kiss? He shook his head sharply clearing it out of these thoughts. He _DID_ not want to think about that now…his body was already reacting to the flashback of the kiss …oh merlin! No he _DID_ not want to go there.

 _She was a friend; she was a friend_ he kept repeating to himself trying to quell the anticipation of seeing her. And then all his thoughts went out the window as he saw Hermione Granger walk into the hospital wing.

 **Author notes** : I once again thank all those who have read, followed and favourited my story. Reviews spur me on and I have loved each one of the reviews that I have received. It would be great to hear from you all and your inputs are very very valuable to me. So you know what to do! Thanks and ciao!


	20. Chapter 20 mixed bag

**Chapter 20 Mixed bag**

 **Disclaimer** : Harry Potter is definitely not mine, imagination about it yes!

Hermione strode into the hospital wing laden with a few books. She had been called aside from the library by Dumbledore earlier and he had made a request of her. Much to her discomfiture, he had requested that she take a few books for Draco Malfoy to read in the hospital wing. Her insides felt like jelly as she groped for an excuse to not go but there was nothing she could say.

What could she possibly say to avoid taking some _books_? They were, after all, books, and it would only cause more curiosity if she refused, especially as she had the reputation of being a bookworm. So she had nodded, while noticing the curious looks of the others from out of the corner of her eye. She also dimly realized that a few Slytherins were giving her looks as well.

Hastily, she went about gathering a few books that were on her table when she saw Harry approach her. She made a small movement of her head and muttered, "later" while she made her exit as fast as she could. She automatically started analyzing the events as she made her way to the hospital wing. _No,_ she told herself it was not worth dwelling over. _Yes_ , it was going to be awkward, but she was going to be in and out of the hospital wing in a few minutes, and that was all there was to it.

She entered the hospital wing and made her way to Draco Malfoy's bed. He was sitting up and looking almost normal. His skin had lost the pallor, and he was looking actually healthy for the first time since she had seen him this summer. He also had a smile on his face when he saw her as he called out, "Good morning Granger."

In spite of herself, Hermione felt a little hurt as she realized that he had reverted to "Granger" instead of "Hermione," but she would not show it. She put on a bright smile herself as she replied "Good morning Malfoy" and noticed that a small frown marred his forehead at the formal greeting. But then two can play the game she thought smugly.

She extended the books to Malfoy, who reached out to take them. "Thank You," he said. "You are welcome. Professor Dumbledore said that you might be bored," she replied scouting for something to break the uncomfortable silence that had descended. Neither of them wanted to acknowledge the elephant in the room, and it seemed to be easier to deal with inane niceties.

"Yes I was," he said, failing to find anything else to say. Both of them fell silent until Draco spoke up again. "I suppose this has drawn you out of class," he said gesturing with his hand.

"Actually, there was no class. It was potions, and we were asked to use the library in lieu of it as the Professor is here," Hermione replied looking at the bed where the professor lay resting.

As the silence descended again, they both spent more time looking at the room than at each other, so Hermione felt it was a good time to leave. It had been very anti-climactic. She had expected something to have come up and was disappointed that he had not spoken anything aloud.

She cleared her throat. "Okay then, I will get back to class, and you can probably get started on the books," She said gesturing to the books. Draco nodded but then they were both startled as they heard Professor Snape sit up in bed.

They looked over to see him clutching his left arm and exchanged an alarmed look as they both knew what this meant. Hermione rushed over to him, followed closely by Draco. Severus Snape stood up, and in one motion, he grabbed his wand and transfigured his clothes to death eater robes.

Draco was frantic. "You can't go. What if they find out?" he asked in a moment of desperation. "I have to go Draco, this is very important," Snape responded and turned to Hermione. "Miss Granger, please do not leave Draco's side until Professor Dumbledore gets here. Draco doesn't have a wand yet, you understand." he said meaningfully before swishing his wand and producing his patronus.

He sent the doe to Dumbledore and turned to Hermione. "I have to go now. You know how important it is to stay here," he said, and he cast a disillusionment charm on himself before striding to the apparition point. Draco and Hermione exchanged a look filled with tension.

 **Severus Snape POV**

Severus Snape apparated into the circle of death eaters already assembled. He glanced out of the corner of his eye and noticed with relief that he was not the last to arrive. He knew that the last to arrive usually paid for it with a cruciatus session, and he really could not afford that now. He stood in his spot and watched as Walden McNair writhed under the cruciatus for being late.

However, he snapped to attention as Voldemort walked around the circle and stopped in front of him. "Welcome, my friends; we meet again after a fair interval. An interval which, I hope, has been put to good use…" He paused dramatically. "An interval in which I assume you have garnered information about the young Malfoy, Severus…" he hissed, stopping directly in front of Severus.

"So what have you to tell me Severus?" he hissed. Snape dropped to his knees and kissed the hem of the Dark Lord's robes reverently. "I live to serve you, my lord." the sycophantic words fell easily from his lips. "The young Malfoy boy is at the Hogwarts infirmary, my lord," he said knowing that there was no way out of the situation except to say the truth.

"Infirmary? Why would he still be at the infirmary? Are the infernal healer's capabilities that meagre?" he asked and laughed his mad laugh. His followers looked at each other uneasily and joined in the laughter.

"No my lord, the truth of the matter is that there is nowhere else for the boy to go," Severus Snape replied. "Hmm, that is a matter of perspective Severus as _you_ happen to be his godfather. Why did you not take him?" the Dark Lord sneered, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

"I wanted to, my lord, for that would have made it easier for me to bring him to you, but Dumbledore forbade it" Severus lied, pulling up his occlumency shields. "Is that so, Severus? Let me see for myself how loyal you are," Voldemort replied and cast his powerful " _Legilimens_." Severus staggered under the onslaught but caught himself in time to pull up the images of Draco in the hospital wing, taking care to ensure that the images carried only the form of Draco in them.

"This is good news, my friends. Dumbledore is a fool if he thinks that his wards would keep me out. Our target this time is Draco Malfoy. Severus and Lucius, you will accompany Bellatrix. I will not tolerate failure and will be extremely displeased if my inner circle members cannot bring me a mere child who does not even have his wand," he hissed, his voice ringing with the promise of punishment at failure.

 _Shit! Damn it!_ Unmentionable curses flew in Severus Snape's mind as he heard Voldemort's plan. Severus' thoughts were frantic as he cast about for a way to warn Dumbledore. There seemed to be absolutely no way to alert Dumbledore, and he just hoped that the man had heeded his patronus and was in the hospital wing already. Draco did not have a wand, and he would be fair game otherwise.

Worry swirled in his gut, and he was filled with a deep loathing as he heard Bellatrix simper, "Master, how do we gain entrance through the wards?" She asked in a voice laden with so much devotion that it almost made Severus hurl.

"You will enter through the Room of Requirement, where a mended vanishing cabinet awaits. It's other half stands in Borgin and Burkes. I am sure that Severus can help you navigate your way from there to the hospital wing," he added.

"Yes, my lord," Severus nodded as he saw the others bow too. He sneaked a look at Lucius and was once again disappointed to see the lack of emotion on his face. It could have been some random person instead of _his son_ who was going to be kidnapped. A tendril of fury coiled within him as he felt the injustice of it. This was his son, damn it! He ought to be as worried as Severus was, if not more.

"Go now, and come back with the boy," Voldemort ordered. Bowing for a last time, Snape strode out with Bellatrix and Lucius towards the apparition point. His mind was still struggling to find a way out of this situation when Bellatrix sauntered up to him and took his arm.

"What do you think you are doing, woman?" Snape snapped in the coldest voice that he could muster. "Well Severus, the last time you approached the young brat, he disappeared. We can't risk the same thing happening again you know. The master might trust you, but _I_ am going to keep my eyes on you, Severus. Now, are you going to apparate or not? It's been a long time since I went on a side-along apparition," she said with sickening glee on her face.

Severus had a brief thought of apparating to Hogsmeade instead of Knockturn Alley in order to approach Hogwarts sooner, but that plan just bit the dust. He sighed in resignation as he apparated to Knockturn Alley with Bellatrix in tow. He was almost immediately joined by Lucius.

The man had yet to speak, but Severus wasn't sure how he would respond without trying to throttle Lucius. It was just as well that he kept his silence.

Once they landed in Knockturn Alley, Lucius wasted no time in entering Borgin and Burkes. Upon seeing them, the owner came forward, but Lucius met him halfway, and with a few well-placed words, silenced the man. They were escorted to the cabinet, and Severus was dismayed to see that it was in perfect condition indeed. A part of him had been praying for an inoperable cabinet, but that was not to be.

Lucius entered the cabinet while Bellatrix waited for Severus to enter before entering herself. A few minutes passed, and they were spit out in what was clearly the Room of Requirement. "Come, let us go and get ourselves a traitor!" Bellatrix squealed, a mad look stealing over her face.

"We are on the seventh floor currently; we have to head down to the infirmary. It would be better if you disillusioned yourselves. Our job is to get Malfoy. Let's just stick to that shall we? Besides, it is imperative that I keep my status here," said Severus with what he hoped was disdain.

He did not want the students to get petrified upon seeing the death eaters. The resultant chaos would be unnecessary. There was no telling how the demented Bellatrix would react either.

" _Ooh_ Severus, you are such a spoil sport," simpered Bellatrix, but thankfully, she went along with the plan. In a flash, she was disillusioned while Lucius followed suit with a flash of his own wand. Severus once again transfigured his robes to those of a Hogwarts professor and strode toward the room's entrance followed closely by Lucius and Bellatrix.

As they passed the students on the corridors, Snape was distinctly aware of the curious stares and whispers. His trepidation increased as he approached the hospital wing.

They burst into the hospital wing with their wands brandished as Lucius and Bellatrix cancelled the disillusionment charm. Severus heaved a small sigh of relief as Dumbledore stepped forward in front of a very startled Draco Malfoy and an alarmed Hermione Granger.

"What brings you here Lucius, Madame Lestrange, and not to mention, Severus?" asked Dumbledore as if they were not death eaters and had no hostile intent. "Give us the boy, Dumbledore and there will be no issue" growled Lucius Malfoy, speaking up for the first time.

"Give you _your boy_ , Lucius? I am afraid that is not possible," said Dumbledore, a hint of steel in his voice. "He is no son of mine, hand him over now," spat Lucius. Draco stepped forward boldly, "And you are no father of mine." he countered in the equally icy tone so distinct to the Malfoys.

" _You will not speak to me!_ " roared Lucius as he trained his wand on Draco in a flash. " _Incarcerous!_ " he screamed, just as Dumbledore countered the curse, his movement a blur. No one could accuse Dumbledore of being slow as he slashed away the ropes with a flick of his wand. However, it signalled the start of the duel and all hell instantly broke loose.

Bellatrix joined in the fray almost immediately with the curse that was the standard among death eaters. " _Crucio!_ " she screamed aiming at Draco, and once again Dumbledore stepped in. Draco and Hermione crouched further down as Bellatrix started dueling in earnest.

" _Incendio!_ "

" _Bombarda Maximus!"_

" _Crucio Maximus!"_

Her curses flew rapidly, one after the other, getting into the unforgiveables. She was a formidable witch, and her spells carried raw power behind them. Spells of various colors flashed as Dumbledore shielded and repelled her spells. The air was smoky and smelled of sulphur as the glass panes of the wing were blasted apart, and the curses flew thick and fast.

Severus Snape seethed as he could do nothing except play his part, which he did in casting spells against Dumbledore while he non-verbally cushioned the impact. He wore a fierce scowl however, as he cast a shield to prevent the shattered glass panes from causing more damage. As he stood battling Dumbledore, he saw Lucius moving towards Draco from out of the corner of his eye, but there was nothing to be done.

His heart clenched in fear, but there was nothing he could do. He just hoped that Hermione Granger was as good with her wand as she was with her academics.

 **Draco's POV**

Draco stood tensely, his fist clenched as he realized that Professor Snape had been gone for far too long. Dumbledore had come in a few minutes before in response to the professor's patronus. "Remember child, Professor Snape has played this game for far too long to not come through this. Have trust in him," the old wizard had said. Dumbledore had also been urging Hermione to leave when the doors to the hospital wing burst open, and he saw Severus stride in along with Lucius and Bellatrix.

Cold rage swept through him as he saw Lucius come in. The events of _that_ night flashed in front of his eyes, and he saw his mother's death once more in his mind. Raw hatred for his father coursed through him as he stepped forward and denounced Lucius. He knew that it was not a wise thing to do, especially as he had no wand, but he could not stand the presence of the man.

He saw Dumbledore step in front of him and deflect the curse, and Draco took the chance to move further into the infirmary. Much as he wanted to ask Hermione to leave, he knew that he had no chance without her. He had no wand on him, and his Slytherin sense of self-preservation kicked in. It was with a sense of guilt that he allowed her to stay.

He snuck a glance at Dumbledore, who stood dueling Bellatrix and Severus Snape, and he realized that he would garner no support from him. He also felt Hermione move to his side and felt immensely grateful for her support.

Unconsciously, he moved behind the bed, which put it in between his father and himself as he acutely felt the need for a wand. He also felt distinctly at a disadvantage, clad only in hospital pyjamas. However, none of this made an impact as Lucius' eyes radiated only anger as he pointed his wand at Draco.

"Surrender, Draco. You cannot escape. You turned on the Dark Lord, and you have to pay for it. You ruined the name of Malfoy. I warn you, give yourself up, and I will consider letting the mudblood go," he spoke in his drawl, the anger in his voice cutting through the air.

For a minute, Draco wavered—if he gave himself up, Hermione might be spared. But he also knew that he would never survive and there was no guarantee that Lucius would keep his word judging by what he had become lately. He would basically be resigning himself to a very slow and painful death. He was spared from the decision however as Hermione stepped up to him. "Don't even think about it Draco. He would never let me go, you know that."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," spat Lucius as he followed quickly with the cruciatus. Hermione put up a block, but Draco knew the power of his father's spells. He held her wand hand and tried to channel his own magic through her wand.

He concentrated on preventing the spell from reaching them. He felt the wave of magic course through his being as sweat collected on his brow from the effort. He felt Hermione's hand tremble under his as his hand enclosed hers and they put their combined effort in repelling Lucius' curse.

His magic felt stronger than before, and he wondered at the power pulsing through him. His magic felt raw and powerful, and he realized that this must be the combined power of both his and Severus's magic resulting from the ritual.

With his input, Hermione's shield held, but Lucius was not to be deterred. The rage on his face intensified as he poised his wand for another curse. Anticipating his father's move, Draco wrested the wand in a single motion and shouted " _Organum Aruspices!_ " He watched with trepidation as the purple light raced towards his father and hit Lucius squarely in the chest.

Lucius staggered as the curse hit, and Hermione immediately took the chance to shout, " _Expelliarmus_!" Lucius' eyes widened in shock as his wand sailed through the air to land neatly in Draco's hand.

Draco wasted no time in following through with " _Petrificus Totalus_ " and heaved a sigh of relief as Lucius fell on the floor with a thud. The relief was short lived as Bellatrix roared in rage and turned towards Draco with anger outlined on every inch of her face.

Her eyes flashed in rage as she pointed her wand in his direction and bellowed a curse. A bright red light moved in his direction and slammed into his hastily constructed shield. He was pushed back by the force of the blast, and he was thrown against Hermione as both of them fell down in a tangle of arms and legs.

The lapse in Bellatrix's concentration however cost her as Dumbledore moved in and cast a spell that felled her. However, she refused to stay down and bounced back from the floor with a spell of her own. It seemed as though she was almost as powerful as her master himself.

"Severus…get the traitor!" she shrieked as she turned on Dumbledore anew. Severus had no choice but to cast a few powerful hexes at Draco, but thankfully there were wands in both their hands. They were working in tandem as one shielded and the other cast their own spells. It of course, helped that Snape held back on his own hexes and hoped that Bellatrix would not notice it.

As Bellatrix dueled Dumbledore, the sounds of the duel had by now attracted the attention of the students. Footsteps sounded as the other Professors and students stood gaping at the entrance of the hospital wing, stunned by the sight of their headmaster engaged in a duel with a mad looking Bellatrix Lestrange.

Bellatrix noticed the new entrants and knew that they were getting outnumbered. It was time to retreat. Before anyone could react, she grabbed the student nearest to her, who happened to be Cho Chang and held her in a chokehold. "If anyone dares to make a move, this kid will feel the effects. You know how I _lovvve to play with the itty bitty babies_ don't you?" she cackled.

Terror flashed across Cho's face, and tears started flowing down her cheeks. She struggled feebly, but Bellatrix simply held her tightly and whispered " _Crucio._ " The students froze in horror as they watched Cho writhe under the cruciatus.

"No one will get in my way, or this girl will pay the consequences. I will stop at nothing. Drop your wand Dumbledore, and don't make any attempts to follow me or else this girl dies!" she continued shouting as she made her way out of the corridor with Cho Chang held firmly in her grip. Rapidly, she made her way back to the Room of Requirement and waited for the door to materialize.

Once the door appeared, she pushed the girl away and made her way into the room. Wasting no time, she entered the vanishing cabinet to travel back to Knockturn Alley.

 **Author notes:** As always I am humbled by the fact that you people out there think that my story is worth a read. I appreciate the reviews and look forward to feedback of any kind. I am also immensely indebted to Eidyia1 who has been kind enough to be my beta. I hope to see you along with me on this ride till the end. Ciao.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21 Shift?**

 **Author notes :** I am very humbled by your amazing responses to the last chapter. A very big thank you to my beta Eidya1. Wish I can hear from all those of you who are following my story or have favorited it! It would be nice to visualize a tone with the words….. ( _Sigh!_!) Well that's just me asking for a review yet again!

The silence in the hospital wing was deafening as everyone stood stunned in the wake of Bellatrix's exit. Everyone turned to Dumbledore as he took control of the situation. He turned to Professor McGonagall "Minerva, can you please direct the students back to their dorms and ensure that all students return to their dormitories until further notice? Filius and Pomona can help you with their houses. I would however, request you to handle the Slytherins as well seeing as Severus would be undoubtedly delayed" he said his voice calm and clear.

Once the students followed Professor McGonagall out, Dumbledore turned to those inside the hospital wing. But before he could proceed further, he was interrupted by the sound of running footsteps as Harry and Ron ran into the infirmary.

"Hermione are you alright? We heard that there was an attack…" Harry burst in breathing heavily, and ran to Hermione's side. Harry cast a worried look at her, searching for injuries while she sought to reassure them that she was uninjured. "What happened?" he asked but before Hermione could reply Dumbledore intervened.

"Boys, Miss Granger is indeed fine but we have other things to take care of right now. I am sure she will fill you in once we tend to other issues. You may be here for the time being" he said and turned to Severus Snape. "Severus, we have to attend to Lucius. Please release him from the petrificus and contact the Auror department, if you will" he instructed.

Harry and Ron cast a horrified as well as a curious look at Hermione but refrained from commenting, as they watched Severus get ready to do the needful. They also looked at Draco warily without knowing how to react, considering that they did not know any details yet. For once they had no clue as to what had happened.

Severus Snape moved to find a floo when he was stopped by Draco's soft voice. "Professor, he will need medical attention. The curse I used"…he trailed off a look of anguish flashing for a moment before it became a mask again. Harry and Ron exchanged a look. What? Draco had used a curse on his father?

Dumbledore assimilated the information and turned to Severus Snape "On second thoughts, call in Poppy first Severus" he said.

Dumbledore then turned to Draco who noticed the hint of disapproval in the headmaster's eyes. "What curse did you use, ? Perhaps we can prevent the damage" he said.

Draco sat down shakily on the bed and held his head in his hands "I used _Organum aruspices!"_ he murmured in a tortured whisper.

" _What?_?" the shocked exclamation erupted from Poppy Pomfrey as she immediately moved into action. She had just come into the vicinity after having treated Cho Chang. On seeing the enquiring glance of the headmaster she replied "the girl is alright. She is sleeping and will not wake for another few hours. It is mostly rest that she needs. It is who might need immediate attention, considering that curse".

"We might not have much time if the curse has already started to spread. Severus release the man from the bind and levitate him onto a bed will you?" she called out crisply as Severus stepped in to act as directed. He was startled as well, that curse was a borderline dark arts spell.

As Poppy started a series of diagnostic scans and the corresponding remedial action Dumbledore beckoned to Draco. He sat beside the teen and asked in a firm but not an unkind voice "Draco why did you use the spell, you do know" … It's a dark curse, yes I know" Draco finished, his voice coming out low and dull.

"May I ask how you came into the knowledge of that curse?" Dumbledore persisted "and how you are able to cast it? Not many people can use that spell effectively".

Draco looked at Dumbledore while other things registered at the periphery of his mind. He saw the shocked and disapproving look on Hermione's face and he could not ignore the small tendril of guilt that wound its way into his gut.

He was discomfited by the feeling, as he had never really sought anyone's approval for his actions before. She was the only one who had not judged him and it hurt to realize that she might be disappointed in him.

The Weasel had a distrustful look on his face which was to be expected but he was thrown by the calm look on the Golden boy's face. He had expected to find recrimination, being the savior of the wizarding world and all that but it was not so. It was a confusing reaction that Draco did not want to dwell on just then.

He took a deep breath and looked around. There was no excuse for this; he had in full conscience used a dark arts spell. He looked at Dumbledore "well I have Lucius Malfoy for a father, what can I say?" he said with a flippant note but at Dumbledore's stern look he amended. "There are a lot of books on the dark arts at the Manor and I _may_ have looked through them." He said in a non committal tone.

"So you _are_ a dark wizard then" Ron burst out a note of triumph in his voice. Draco looked at him with disdain and drawled in his icy Malfoy tone "You obviously don't know the difference between reading and using, _Weasel_ " He snapped unable to contain his ire. "And you would be able to use a spell _just_ by reading huh ferret?" Ron retorted.

It was actually a valid argument but Draco was not going to give the Weasel a point. He garnered himself for a cutting reply, lapsing into his old persona when Dumbledore interrupted with a question of his own "While 's language might be wanting, he does have a point" he said.

Draco let out the breath he was holding and said "I don't know, Professor. I have never used this spell earlier, just read about it. I know how powerful my father's spells are and I knew that the regular spells would not hold especially as we just had Hermione's wand. It was an instinctive reaction. But I did feel that the spells I cast carried more power than before. Perhaps it's the bond" he explained.

"This is just ridiculous, I mean nobody can just _read a_ nd execute spells on the first try. You expect us to believe that _ferret_ and by the way who gave you permission to use Hermione's name?" Ron exclaimed incredulously, a touch of anger lacing his tone.

Draco got ready to respond but he was interrupted by the arrival of Severus and Poppy. Dumbledore turned to Poppy "How is he?" he asked referring to Lucius Malfoy and Draco felt a jolt of fear run through him. For the first time the enormity of what he had done hit him. If his father, _scratch that_ , if _Lucius_ died, Azkaban might be a very real proposition. The thought terrified him but he did not dare express it.

He held his breath as Poppy said "He will be fine Albus. We caught the curse before it could damage any organs. He can be enervated in an hour but my ethics demand that I tell you that the man needs to be in bed for at least another day. Again I also understand that the law needs to be involved so I leave you to deal with it" she said making her exit as Dumbledore nodded his understanding.

"What is this curse anyway?" Ron asked looking at the room at large. Severus sneered and replied in his drawl "it's an organ entrailing curse" on hearing which Ron turned a sickly green.

" _eww_ …." He said with a grimace and turned to his friends to see the same expression on their faces. Hermione had screwed her nose while Harry looked a little green himself.

Dumbledore however stood up signaling the end of the discussion and made his way to where Lucius lay. Severus followed closely while Draco lingered behind. Harry moved forward a bit but stopped halfway through as if he had second thoughts. All of them had a clear view of the proceedings however.

Dumbledore went up to the bed and looked down on the form of Lucius Malfoy and nodded to Severus Snape. Severus nodded in return, knowing what Dumbledore wanted and cast _Incarcerous_ binding the unconscious man in ropes.

"Perhaps we should summon the Aurors before he wakes up. Severus, would you do the honors?" Dumbledore mused. "That would be advisable" Severus agreed and went in search of a floo that he could use to contact Kingsley Shacklebolt. The man was a member of the Order as well as the head Auror after all.

He returned in record time "I have let Shacklebolt know, he will be here shortly with a team of his men. I recommend that these three" he said gesturing to Harry, Ron and Hermione "return to the tower before the Aurors come. We don't need any more drama" he added drily.

"Good" Dumbledore responded before adding "The aurors however might need Miss Granger for questioning as she was at the site of the action and I assume that Harry and will not leave her side". Harry and Ron nodded at the words and moved to stand resolutely by Hermione's side.

He then proceeded to wake up Lucius Malfoy. " _Enervate_ " he called out softly and watched the grey eyes spring open. There was confusion in his eyes for just a moment before turning ice cold. He looked around and his eyes reflected his suppressed rage when they rested on Draco and became decidedly glacial as he saw Severus Snape.

"I need to speak with Draco" he demanded in his customary drawl, devoid of any expression. Draco tensed as Dumbledore spoke "I am sure that whatever you would want to speak with him can be done so in our presence" in a firm voice, not giving any quarter for negotiation.

"Then know this" Lucius Malfoy said knowing a lost cause when he heard one… "Henceforth he is not a Malfoy. He has no claim to the name and everything else that comes with it. Without me he will be nothing, _nothing._ I will make sure of it _"_ he spat venom spitting in his tone and eyes. He then looked directly at Draco and hissed in a menacing voice "You fancy yourself to be a better man than me but by using this curse you have proved yourself to be tainted just as I. _You can never be free, never_ ".

Draco unconsciously stepped back from the raw hatred emanating from Lucius but was saved with the sound of footsteps and the entry of the aurors. They wasted no time in hauling Lucius Malfoy away after casting a disillusionment charm on him, even though there were no students in the corridors. Dumbledore sighed in relief and turned to the students in the room.

"Sorry to be asking this so late, but how are you Draco?" he asked softly. "I am fine Sir," Draco replied and continued in a tense tone, not willing to let on that his father's words had hit hard. "What will happen now, regarding the dark curse I mean?" he asked.

He clenched his fists and was aware of Hermione moving closer to him as if to show her support. He was grateful for her presence as Dumbledore took a deep breath.

"It is a matter to be deliberated at length. It would have been damning if the curse had come from your wand but we are fortunate that the curse was cast from Lucius's wand. So for the time being no charges will be carried against you but I would advise you to refrain from using such spells in the future".

Draco let out the breath that he had been holding and sunk onto the bed wearily. "But how can we explain the curse hitting him?" asked Draco and then answered his own question "we _could_ say that his curse rebounded when it hit our shield". The answer came out tentative as he looked at Hermione. She had to corroborate if the story was to pass muster.

" _What_? He uses a dark curse and goes scot free just like that?" Ron asked indignantly. Hermione spoke up for the first time in a long while "and if he had not I would not be here Ron. Is punishing him more important than my life?" she asked quietly.

Ron sputtered unable to respond as Harry stepped in "While I might have not used a dark curse I would have tried my best to hold Lucius off at any cost .When you are fighting for your life you don't always think straight. I am with you this time Malfoy" he said as Hermione gave a smile. She knew that he was thinking of the unforgiveable that Harry had cast against Bellatrix at the Ministry of Magic.

"Thank you Potter" Draco said while at the same time remained tense at the Weasel's reaction. The Weasel could upset the cart all by himself. "Fine" Ron allowed grudgingly "although I doubt that you thought of Hermione's welfare I will let it go, not for _you_ ferret but because I stand with my friends".

Dumbledore beamed with the customary twinkle as the aurors trooped back in. They took the account of the incident from both Draco and Hermione and spent some time speaking to Dumbledore, taking his view and opinion. They informed Dumbledore that Lucius will be held at Azkaban and then tried for his crimes.

They also wanted to have a word with Severus Snape at which point Dumbledore suggested that they could do so in the privacy of his office. He did turn around to add a last word "I would request you to get back to your dormitories soon as considerable time has already lapsed" he said with a faint smile as he exited the hospital wing.

As Dumbledore left, Draco relaxed his breath coming out in a rush. He ran his hand through his hair as his father's words washed over him. Was he indeed tainted? Potter would never have used a dark curse under any circumstance and _he had_ not even thought about it twice. _Was he no better than his father then?_ The question gnawed at his conscience and he was filled with doubts and regrets.

His self-recrimination was however cut short as he felt a soft warm hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Hermione's gaze filled with soft warmth. Potter looked concerned while the Weasel looked like he wanted to be somewhere far away from this.

"Draco, don't let your father's words get to you" she said. It was as though she could read his thoughts. Draco was startled as she continued "The fact that you bear the injuries that you do says that you are different from him. You turned your back on them and that was a brave thing to do. Your father is the one who has nothing. You have _us_..." she said her voice soft but forceful.

"But then you are the golden trio" he said with a sneer "it would be easy for you to say, you would not cast a dark curse ever, you are bloody perfect. Why would you want to be associated with me?" he lashed out.

Hermione calmly stepped forward and took his hand. Draco was startled at the touch but made no move to remove his hand as Potter stepped forward. "Malfoy, we know that many things have changed for you but do not presume to know everything about us. You are still a prat yes, but you are _not_ your father. Even I can see that" he said with firm determination.

"We have been rivals, a bit of enemies even in the past but don't you think a truce would work better in the current circumstances?" he asked extending a hand forward.

"I don't need your pity Potter" the words came out harsh as the old Malfoy surfaced. He stood up agitated and riled. He was a Malfoy, he did not _need_ anyone. He could survive on his own and very well thank you.

"Don't be a prat Draco" Hermione admonished. "You need friends right now and _honestly!_ Are the Slytherins going to be your pals now?" she asked. It was a valid question and one which Draco knew the answer to.

He knew that he would be viewed as a traitor and the Slytherins would either walk away or try to do him in. There was no middle ground and there would be no allies there. Perhaps she had a point. _But to be friends with Potter?_

But the instant the question arose, however he knew that his path was already laid out. This was what his mother had wanted and however hard this was going to be it made sense in light of recent events. He needed allies, in a war where he could be caught in the middle of both the light and the dark sides.

"You have a point" he conceded "I accept but don't expect me to be a sodding Gryffindor, Potter" he said simply while clasping Harry's hand. Harry smiled a mysterious smile "who ever said that I am Gryffindor?"he said with a wink and relinquished the grip.

That was unexpected Draco thought to himself and filed it away for later and merely said "whatever Potter". And then Hermione spoke up "we have got to go now, it's rather late. See you around Draco" she said and gestured for Harry and Ron to follow her out.

As they left the hospital wing, Draco felt the weight of loneliness as he sunk onto the bed. It had been nice to have someone to talk to even if it had been Potter and his coterie. No scratch that, it was not Potter at all…it was Hermione.

How had his life become so complicated? Nothing he planned seemed to follow on course anymore. Only that morning he had decided to keep his distance from Hermione and then all this had to happen. It had been a fortunate circumstance for her to be present; he shuddered to think what could have happened otherwise. At the same time she could have been hurt and it would have been because of him. It was a disconcerting thought as well as a situation to be in.

And Potter…Potter had sounded downright cryptic…what the hell was that about? It was all very curious. Life was becoming messy what with being disowned to top it all. He had expected it yes, but to actually hear it made it kind of final. Now he had no home and no money to call his own.

He could not help feeling suddenly adrift. The loneliness was stifling. He had once taunted Potter about staying at Hogwarts during the holidays, but now? He had taunted the Weasleys about being poor and now where was he? The tables had turned and it was he who was in a worse state. The realization made him more depressed. He sighed; anyway there was no help for it now. He had to deal with things as they came.

His musings were interrupted by the sound of footsteps as Severus Snape came in. Draco sat up straight as they headed towards him. Snape came to his bedside and said "Draco are you alright? I hope you are not hurt in any way?" he asked solicitously.

"No I am fine. But I was worried about you. You were gone for so long…" Draco replied.

"Yes I am sorry about that", Severus said and continued "there was nothing I could do. But the events of today indicate that we should not delay the procurement of a wand for you. You will also need clothes and the supplies for school. If you are up to it, we can go to Diagon Alley tomorrow" he offered.

"But I have no money" Draco interrupted"what do I do?" he wondered. His tone reflected the deep hurt the admission cost him. Severus felt a flash of sympathy for the boy before reassuring him that he would pay for everything and that he should not concern himself with those issues right now.

"You should also be ready to move to my quarters immediately. The hospital wing is no longer safe as it will be common knowledge among the Slytherins by now. I have shrunk my robes so that they will fit you so get changed." Severus moved away so that Draco would have privacy to change as he drew the curtains around the bed.

Draco changed into the shrunken robes and stepped out just as Pomfrey came in to do her final check. She waved her wand over him and seemed satisfied with the results. "You may go and make sure that you don't land in here soon." She said with a smile.

"I might hang out with Potter madam Pomfrey, do your words still hold good?" Draco asked drily. "That boy has caused me enough grey hairs now don't you start too. Now shoo, go and I don't want to see you for a long time" she said smiling widely.

Draco smirked and followed Severus out of the hospital wing. He had never paid much attention to the healer earlier. But he appreciated the kindness she had shown him the last many days.

They descended to Severus' quarters in the dungeons. It was not a new experience for Draco as he had been in the quarters plenty of times. But it had been as a welcomed guest but now….he was more of a refugee. The knowledge chafed at him as he took in the surroundings with a new perspective.

He had always taken the rooms for granted but now he was grateful for its presence. It was a far cry from Malfoy Manor but neat and furnished well enough.

Severus turned to him "The room that you used earlier is now yours. Feel free to decorate it as you wish and if there is anything that you need do not hesitate to ask. Just make sure it is clean and neat alright?" he said in a soft voice.

Severus realized what a shift it was for Draco. He had been born into luxury with the proverbial silver spoon. This was a step down and it would take the teenager a while to get used to the new reality. But he knew that in time this would be the better option.

"I understand Uncle Severus. Thanks" Draco responded before settling down on the couch in the living room. It was just a little after noon and he was already exhausted. It had been an eventful day and too much had changed in too short a time.

Severus noticed the fatigue and said "let us have lunch and then you can lie down for a while. Classes have been suspended for the day so I am relatively free. Perhaps we can start with some instruction on wandless magic in the evening?".

"Yes Uncle Severus. That sounds fine" Draco responded. Severus nodded and ordered a light lunch of soup, salad and sandwiches which appeared on the table in a few minutes.

Both of them seated themselves and started to serve their own portions. Severus noted the small potions that Draco had served himself and remarked "You can stand to gain a bit of weight Draco. Your body has been through a lot of trauma and you need to regain your strength. You don't have to do it all at once but do try to increase your portion size over time".

Draco nodded in the affirmative and concentrated on getting through his lunch. Once the both of them were done Severus banished the plates to the kitchen and moved back to the living room.

Draco spent some time looking over the considerable collection of books in the study before retiring to his room for a lie down. The times to come would be demanding and very different from what he was used to.

 **Author note:** Okay, I know that my note is already up there but a quick question? What do you think should happen with Lucius? I need your thoughts on the issue and get ready for more action and romance in the chapters to come!


	22. Chapter 22 two sides of a line

**Disclaimer** : Nothing you have not heard before. Yeah yeah Harry Potter does not definitely belong to me.

 **Chapter 22 two sides of a line**

As evening approached, Severus awakened Draco "Draco wake up. We were supposed to start wand less charms remember?" he said. Draco sat up with a bleary eye. "Yes I remember, just give me a minute to freshen up. I will be right there" he assured the potions professor.

Within a few minutes he made his way to the living room but on hearing sounds from the kitchen, he made his detour to the kitchen instead. Severus turned upon hearing his footsteps "I took the liberty of arranging for some tea and cakes before starting the lessons. I hope you have the appetite for the same".

Draco nodded in the affirmative before helping himself to the cake and tea. "So what are we starting with?" he asked. "We will be following pretty much the school curriculum. So we will be starting with the levitation charm and get onto lumos and other charms as we progress. Does that seem acceptable to you?" he asked.

"Yes I see your point. So where do we practice? What if something goes wrong?" he asked a tad tense. "I don't see much harm in doing the levitation charm and the simple ones here but once you progress we would have to move to a different location" Severus responded. "Anyways if you are done", he added "let us proceed to the living room for the moment" he said getting up and making his way to the living room.

Draco followed filled with an odd mixture of excitement as well as some trepidation. Severus had moved the furniture to one side with a swish of his wand and motioned for Draco to get ready in the empty space. Draco stood not knowing what he was expected to do.

Severus then floated a feather with his wand and laid it on the floor. "Draco, I want you to close your eyes and extend your right hand fully forward. Your hand is now your wand and your fingers are your conduits of magic. Imagine the magic in your body flowing to your arm. Feel the magic in your hands" he intoned in a calm almost hypnotic tone.

Draco closed his eyes and let Severus's words wash over him. He extended his arm forward keeping his fingers pointed in one direction. He then looked inward slowly searching for the magic inside his body. At first he could not feel anything but then there was the sensation of warmth rising from his abdomen. The warmth swirled through his abdomen branching off into the other areas of his body.

He could trace it's path now, rising from his abdomen, swirling through his chest and going towards his arm. He concentrated on the warmth curling in his fingers and slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Severus and nodded to show that he had a grasp of the magic.

"Now imagine the magic moving towards the feather and will it to move. Remember Draco, it is the force of your will that will determine the success of the spell. Now try it" he said.

Draco visualized the magic in his hands and imagined that it was an arc of light racing towards the feather. At the same time he shouted " _wingardium leviosa_ " aiming his fingers at the feather. However the feather remained steadily fixed on the floor.

"Again" Severus said and Draco got into the stance again. He closed his eyes and started tracing his magic and incanted the spell again, to no avail however. They kept on at it for an hour until Draco got frustrated.

" _Aagh_! What am I doing wrong Severus? I can feel my magic, I really can, and I even feel it in my hands. Then why the hell isn't it working?" he groaned as the feather resolutely stayed on the floor.

Severus had a thoughtful look on his face. "If you can feel the magic, then I dare say that your technique is not at fault. Perhaps it lacks the necessary power. Draco think of what you went through" he stressed. "Why you do not have your wand and why you have to master this. _This_ can save your life. This is no longer a choice Draco, you _must_ master this. Now think of your mother and gather all the energy again. Think of what she wanted, what your father did…all of it. I don't want you to hold back, not now?" he said forcefully. "Now start again" he commanded.

Draco drew a long breath and closed his eyes preparing himself for the casting. This time as he was drawing up the magic in his hands he also let himself think of the events that had redefined his life. For the first time in days he let himself dwell on the images that he had forcibly shoved to his subconscious.

He once again saw his father do the unthinkable and he felt his eyes gather moisture as he saw his mother fall in slow motion. Raw fury built within him as his body thrummed with his magic. The magic was building and he knew without a doubt that he could destroy anything in his path.

He wanted to hurt the monster that had killed his mother. He wanted to kill his father who had stood idly by. Raw rage coursed through him and he knew that this time he would not fail.

 _They_ would not break him. They would pay for what they did. He opened his eyes and took aim. He felt the magic rise and swirl as his rage fed his magic.

He felt the power coursing through his veins as he opened his eyes and shouted " _wingardium leviosa"_ with all the power that he could muster. The feather soared up, hit the ceiling forcefully and plummeted back to the floor. It was bent in half and the feathers looked like someone had crushed them.

Draco lowered his arm his body still shaking with the adrenaline. He sank to his knees as the fatigue of expending so much magic hit him all at once as the adrenaline started fading and looked at Severus. Severus nodded with a slight smile to acknowledge the success. He responded with a slight smile of his own.

"That was well done. Your spell was very powerful and I believe that when you use the other spells it will be very useful indeed. I also believe that you need to rest now as I am aware of how much wand less casting takes out of the caster."

Draco walked to the sofa and sank into it. "But Severus, I can't focus on rage every time I want to cast a spell. I can't draw on such energy each time. We will have to find an alternate way" he said. "Yes I am aware of the problem" Severus replied. "We will find a solution to it. Now rest, I will get us some hot chocolate. It will help you regain some of your energy. As you practice more and more you will learn how to harness your energy better." So saying he went to the floo and ordered hot chocolate and biscuits for the both of them.

Draco took a big sip of the hot chocolate relishing the way it warmed him from inside. That spell had definitely taken a lot out of him. He would look forward to having a wand in his hand again though, even if wand less magic was exciting. "Is the Diagon Alley plan still on?" he asked.

"We have no reason to put it off so yes, it is still on" Severus assured him. "What do you think is happening with Lucius?" Draco asked in a hesitant voice. "Is it possible to do as he said from Azkaban?" he asked dreading the answer.

Severus looked at him with a flash of pity, or rather what would pass as pity in Severus Snape's books. "Draco, right now he has simply been taken into custody. He has to be tried and found guilty before Azkaban even enters the picture as you are undoubtedly aware. Therefore if what I assume is correct, he would be in consultation with his lawyer to argue his case as well as settle other matters. I am sure you get the drift of the situation…" he said looking straight at Draco.

Draco nodded to show that he understood "So I might be front page news tomorrow, is that what you are saying?" he asked in a soft voice. Severus nodded in the affirmative "that is a distinct possibility" he said and shifted his hand to lay it on top of Draco's hand.

"Great now the whole world will know I am penniless" Draco groaned.

Severus gave a soft squeeze "a man does not forge his identity on money alone. The people will also know why you are _penniless_ , as you put it."

Draco gave a bitter laugh "And what do you propose I do to buy all that I need...year after year. I don't know how to be poor Severus".

"We will cross the bridge when we come to it and as for the future there is such a thing as work and salary. And besides I am sure you would rather be poor and alive than rich and dead" Severus said drily.

"Yes there is that of course, and I don't suppose I should start on how there is a rich chance of an almost death eater getting a job….".Severus gave Draco a glare "I did not think self pity ever became you" he quipped.

"Anyway getting back to the plan, we will go to Diagon Alley tomorrow and yes we will use glamour or polyjuice. So be ready to leave after breakfast. Now I do believe I mentioned that there are some books on wand less magic here in my library. I want you to read up on it before dinner. I have some work to catch up on and I assume you are up to the reading now" he said as he got up and headed to his study.

Hermione's POV

Hermione found herself walking in between Harry and Ron back to the tower. Classes had been suspended and for once she was not disappointed. She needed the time to think and wonder about the confusion that was Draco Malfoy.

In the span of a few days she had seen so many sides of him that it was dizzying. He was different from the boys whom she knew. There was an undercurrent of danger to him that neither Harry nor Ron possessed. Just when she had pegged him as safe the dark curse had come out of nowhere.

As she was mulling over the events of the hospital wing Ron butted in with a question. "Why were you in the hospital wing at all Hermione? What really happened?" He asked.

Hermione realized that her friends did not know the entire cascade of events and launched into the story of what had happened. When she got to the part of Lucius dueling them she noticed that Harry's eyes had hardened and Ron was clenching his fists in anger. "That vile git! I hope he didn't hurt you Mione" he exclaimed.

Hermione shook her head "the shield that we conjured held Ron. You know when we see Malfoy, Draco that is; we never see his magical capabilities .We only see the arrogance. But he is pretty good, guys. I don't know if I could have managed the shield without his input. I really don't" she fretted.

"You are right Hermione. His sneer kind of dominates everything else but the truth is that he has always been good. Only problem was that you were better than him in academics and I was probably luckier in quidditch. But there is no doubt that he is good with magic." Harry intoned.

"But was there any need to use a dark curse tell me, He is probably so used to them that it comes to him readily. He could be dangerous Hermione" Ron warned. "Well I am not surprised that he has an exposure to the dark arts Ron. He did grow up around Lucius Malfoy after all. But honestly I don't see that as a disadvantage" Harry said with a thoughtful look on his face.

" _What? How can that be an advantage Harry seriously_?" Ron asked while Hermione had a disapproving look herself. "Harry you seriously can't think that the dark arts are a good solution." She said.

"Well the people who are out for our blood are ones who are not going to be using the jelly legs or the disarming curse against us. They _will_ fight dirty Hermione. _They_ will use every unforgiveable and every dark curse against us. Curses that we have never heard of, or know the counter to. We do not know how the dark arts can be used against us. But he does."

"He knows the way they fight, what the curses actually do and probably how to circumvent them. Now if that is not an advantage I don't know _what is_. Not to mention that he is the only one who can get the order into Malfoy Manor without the wards frying us out."

Hermione was stunned with the reasoning. She had never thought of things from the other angle. But then she supposed none of them had ever faced death eaters the way Harry had. She looked at Harry with new eyes. Yes he definitely sounded more mature than she had given him credit for.

"Wow.. Harry do you realize that you sound well… _Slytherin_ " Ron said with a whistle. "And what was that comment to Malfoy about not being Gryffindor anyway"? he asked with curiosity.

Harry took a deep breath and stopped walking. He stood facing his friends "okay guys I have not had a chance to tell you this before. He paused and looked at them carefully before plundering on "but the fact is that the sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin. It said that it would help me achieve greatness".

"So why aren't you in Slytherin" Hermione asked while Ron still had a stunned expression on his face. "Well I asked it not to put me there" Harry said simply and laughed at the incredulous expressions on his friend's faces. "And it listened to you?" Hermione said with scorn.

"Look it's a long story okay. But I thought you should know about it that's all." Harry said. "Okay, But tell us the whole story sometime" Ron said with a roll of his eyes and started walking again. Soon they were outside the tower. " _balderdash_ " Hermione gave the password and stepped in.

No sooner had they walked in than Dean Thomas came over to Harry with a note in his hand. "This came for you Harry" he said. Harry took the letter almost immediately recognizing the thin narrow script of the Headmaster. The three of them walked to a corner away from the rest of the crowd. "Who is it from Harry?" Ron asked.

Harry opened the letter to see the script which read

 _Dear Harry,_

 _Kindly present yourself at my office at 7 pm sharp so that we may further your knowledge in the right direction. I hope the days have been kind to you since your return to school._

 _Warm regards,_

 _Albus Dumbledore._

 _P.s: It would be pertinent for you to know that I like mars bars and recommend the same._

"Dumbledore wants me to meet him at 7 o clock." he informed them. Ron and Hermione became excited "is it about those special lessons" they both asked simultaneously. "Wonder what those lessons are going to be?" Ron said highly excited. "Perhaps it would be wand less magic, or some advanced dueling. Oh Harry, you have to tell us about it" he gushed.

"I will guys; I will tell you. Now I better get started on the transfiguration essay. Have you done the essay Ron?" he asked already knowing the answer. " _Naah_ " Ron said while Hermione harrumphed. She stood with her hands on her hips and got ready to get into lecture mode when Harry laughed "yeah we know you must have already done it so please ….will you help us? He asked with an innocent look.

"Fine fine I will help you, but only to oversee okay? Now get going you two" she said sinking into the warm sofa while Ron and Harry got to their work. By the time they got the essay done it was time for Harry to meet Dumbledore. Bidding a hasty farewell he made his way to the headmaster's office.

After giving the password "mars bars" he made his way into the room to find Dumbledore seated at his desk with the pensieve laid out.

"Come Harry, have a seat" Dumbledore stated "you might be wondering what these meetings are all about. I am afraid these are learning of a different kind and very important to you in view of the prophecy."

"So are you going to tell me something about how to destroy Voldemort, sir?" Harry asked. "Yes Harry, I am afraid that to be able to vanquish someone we need to know their strengths as well as weaknesses".

"What? Do you mean to say that Voldemort has some weaknesses that we can use to our gain?" Harry said leaning forward in his seat. "Yes Harry, it is time for you to know something about Voldemort that I have just realized to be true. For a long time I had only my suspicions but they were proved right after you destroyed the diary of Tom Riddle in the chamber of secrets".

"What does that have to do with Voldemort in his current state Sir? Harry asked, his interest now piqued. "Harry you once said that Voldemort mentioned that he had taken steps to go beyond mere mortality."

Harry nodded and Dumbledore continued "what he really meant is that he had already created what are known as horcruxes to attain immortality."

"What are Horcruxes sir?" Harry asked his voice coming out as a whisper. "It is the darkest of the dark arts Harry, a horcrux is a part of one's soul that has been stored in an object outside of one's own body. It basically means that it ensures the life of the person as long as the part of the soul is alive".

" _Oh Merlin_! Do you mean Voldemort has created a horcrux and that is why he did not die when the killing curse rebounded on him?" Harry asked totally horrified. This was worse than his worst dreams.

"I am sorry Harry, to say that he has not created one horcrux, he has in fact made seven." Dumbledore said in a sad voice, his eyes devoid of the twinkle, looking every inch his age for once.

"Then it means that I can never win. There is no chance" Harry said in a defeated whisper. He felt sick and his heart thumped wildly. He felt a headache coming on as fear stuck him anew. This was hopeless.

"No Harry, it is not as hopeless as it seems. You see you have already destroyed a horcrux without meaning to" Dumbledore said, a trace of the twinkle coming back into his eyes. " _I did_?" Harry asked puzzled for a minute before making the connection "the diary? _That was a horcrux_?" he asked. Dumbledore nodded confirming Harry's statement.

"So basically this means that we have to identify the horcuxes and destroy them in order to make Voldemort mortal. But how do we do that? That diary was a random incidence. These could be anything. How do we even find the horcruxes?" Harry asked voicing the possibilities aloud.

"I have already identified another horcrux and obtained it" Dumbledore replied laying on the table a ring. Harry looked at the ring curiously but he dared not touch it. It just seemed so vile. He felt his scar give a slight throb when he looked at the ring but he just shoved the thought aside. It was purely his imagination for sure.

"Whose ring is this Sir? How do you know it is a horcrux? And how is a horcrux created anyway?" Harry asked the string of questions falling from his lips in quick sucession.

"Pardon the order of my answers Harry, but a horcrux is created by indulging in the vilest of acts…murder. You have to commit murder to create a horcrux. As to the history of this ring and why it is a horcrux, can only be answered by taking a journey into the pensieve" Dumbledore explained.

"You want me to go into the pensieve with you?" Harry enquired. "Yes and you can see for yourself how this ring is the horcrux of Voldemort. The pensieve has the memories of a ministry employee of many years ago. It pertains to the Gaunt family. It might be of interest to know that the Gaunts were the direct descendants of Salazar Slytherin himself." Dumbledore explained.

"Voldemort did claim to be Slytherin's descendant" Harry muttered. "So without further ado are you ready to enter the pensieve with me Harry?" Dumbledore asked. Harry nodded and got up to peer into the pensieve. Soon he was pulled into the memory with Dumbledore by his side. Dumbledore pointed out the Gaunt family and Harry was startled to hear parseltongue spoken as a regular language.

"I am sure that you can understand their exchanges much better than I Harry" Dumbledore muttered drily. Harry saw the interaction of Merope with Tom Riddle senior and felt a little sorry for the little baby that was to become Tom Riddle.

But his feelings of sympathy went out the window when he saw Voldemort murder the Riddle family and seize the ring. He almost decidedly became ill when he realized that there would have been a ritual to convert the ring to a horcrux as it brought back horrible memories of Voldemort's own resurrection.

By this time however the pensieve had ejected them out and they were once again seated in Dumbledore's office. Harry once again looked at the ring and asked the question burning at the forefront of his brain. "Okay, I get it that this is a horcrux. But how do we destroy it if it is made from dark magic?" he asked.

"Harry how did you destroy the diary?" Dumbledore asked in turn. "I stabbed a basilisk fang through the diary" Harry said and then proceeded to ask more. "So does this mean that I have to get another fang?".

"I am afraid so Harry, after all you are the only one who can get into the chamber of secrets. It is worth seeing if the body of the basilisk can yield more fangs" Dumbledore said.

Harry nodded "Can I take my friends along with me?" he asked. "Yes of course, friends are our biggest strength." Dumbledore said before pausing with a twinkle in his eyes. "It goes without saying Harry that even if I forbade you, I don't really see you keep anything from your friends" he said. "And there is also another thing that I need to tell you In advance" he paused delicately.

"What is it Sir? Harry asked with a slight foreboding. That tone of Dumbledore never really carried any good news. "Please let us know when you plan to get into the chamber of secrets. Professor Snape might like to accompany you. Knowing him, he would not like to miss out on the chance to collect potions ingredients from the basilisk" he said.

Harry kept quiet. He did not like the idea of Snape coming along with them. But he also knew that he could not over rule Dumbledore and reluctantly nodded in acquiescence.

"Good" Dumbledore nodded with a self-satisfied smile before calling a halt to the meeting. "So we will wait for intimation from you on your plans. Until then take care my boy and remember my door is always open to you." He said.

Harry nodded in acknowledgement and let himself out of the office. He made his way to the Great Hall hoping to get himself some dinner. He was starving even if his mind was swimming with the new information. He wondered how his friends would react to this new information. Ron would be worried and angry; Hermione would become even more of a mother hen as well as become obsessed even more with research.

It would be an interesting conversation Harry thought to himself with a rueful smile as he made his way to the common room where his friends were waiting for him.

 **Author notes** : For those of you have stuck with me for the progress of this story, I am deeply indebted. Thank you! For those of you to whom I am falling short please give me a chance. I am also very sorry for not updating sooner which I will strive to do from now on! Ciao.


	23. author note

**Author note:** Hello everyone. As ever I thank everyone who had nice words to say about my story. However in the absence of any kind of feedback on my last chapter I am at a bit of a loss. Could someone let me know if the chapter displays okay? If it has and it still remains that I have no feedback I am a little puzzled. I would REALLY appreciate some feedback as I have no idea where I stand.

Looking forward to hearing something even if it's negative from the other side…ciao.


	24. Chapter 24 alias wand and missive

**Chapter 23 alias, wand and missive**

Harry entered the Gryffindor common room knowing that his friends would be waiting for him and he was not disappointed to see that his instincts were right. They came to life as soon as they saw Harry. Harry joined them on the sofa as Ron burst out impatient as ever. "So what was it all about?" he enquired.

Harry took a deep breath and after casting a quick _muffliato_ he filled them in on the details. "Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed "as if we needed something more to complicate our lives" he fretted. Hermione was biting on her lower lip her face crunched in deep thought. "Yes this does complicate our lives but we are with you Harry. We will be with you till the end, you do know that don't you?" she asked.

"Hermione, that is the catch don't you see? All this while it was us fighting, rather more of surviving against an evil man, but now this changes the equation. We are now fighting against a much insured evil monster. The situation is tilted in his favor and I don't want you guys to knowingly rush into danger anymore." He held up a hand to forestall the arguments coming his way.

"No guys I mean it, listen to me. I really, really appreciate all that you have done for me all these days but I can't in good conscience ask you to go with me anymore. I really can't survive losing anyone else." He said his voice an anguished whisper.

Hermione got up from the seat her eyes blazing "You listen to me Harry Potter. What we do and who we choose to side with is really not your decision. It is _our_ choice Harry" she said her voice softening a bit towards the end. "And if we move away from you, you think all will be resolved and we will be safe?" she questioned with scorn edging her tone.

"Ron's family is the biggest blood traitor family in the pureblood circle and they were targets long before you even came on the scene. And _I_ am a mudblood, _No it's ok_. I am not affected by the word because it does not define me, but that means I am a target regardless of where I am. Harry don't you understand that by being with you we are in fact safer"? She ranted her voice and eyes flashing as if animated before continuing.

"We have better chances of being protected by the order while doing something to bring Voldemort down" she finished her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright from the adrenaline.

"That is quite the speech Mione" Ron half whistled before adding "She does have a point mate" to Harry. Harry shrugged "well when you put it like that you do have a point. And honestly speaking I would rather do this with you by my side than without. What would I do without Mione to set me straight?" he said with a smile as Hermione aimed a mock punch at him.

Ron exhaled loudly "Now that we have got _that_ out of the way, perhaps we should discuss this more" he said stifling a yawn . "Yeah we will discuss this but later when we are more awake" Harry agreed before adding "by the way did I mention that Snape wants to come down into the chamber of secrets with us?" he threw in mildly.

"Great!" Ron groaned "tell me again, why the git would want to come with us? And I suppose he would bring that other git along" he commented drily. "He wants to harvest potion ingredients from the basilisk Ron" Harry said while Hermione stifled her own yawn.

"Whatever let us talk about this later guys. I am going to bed now. Goodnight" she said and moved to her own dorm while Ron and Harry made towards their beds. Each of them was consumed by his own thoughts as they drifted off to sleep.

 **Draco**

Draco woke up in the morning to find that he was in an unfamiliar bed. It took him a moment to become fully aware of his surroundings as he remembered that he was now residing with Severus Snape. Slowly he got up from the bed and made his way to the bathroom for his morning ablutions. It was their day to go to Diagon Alley and he did not want to make Severus wait.

Once he was dressed in the borrowed robes that Severus had lent him the previous night he made his way to the kitchen. Severus was seated with his own breakfast while flipping through the day's Daily Prophet. Draco felt his stomach clench as he reached for the Prophet. Severus however reached forward and stilled his hand.

"Have your breakfast first Draco" he said without a hint at anything. His face was carefully blank but that was the biggest hint that Draco could have. Draco shook his head "No uncle, I can't eat anything right now. I need to deal with it first" he said correctly interpreting Severus's expression. "As you wish" Severus said and relinquished his hold on the paper.

Draco unrolled the paper to see the screaming headline

"MALFOY HEIR DISINHERITED, LUCIUS MALFOY DISOWNS ONLY SON"

 _Lucius Malfoy, currently awaiting trial at Azkaban for the squirmish at the Ministry of Magic has made an announcement through his lawyer. It hereby states that Draco shall no longer carry the Malfoy name and will not be eligible for any of the privileges that the name holds._

 _According to Lucius Malfoy "He is no son of mine and he will not bear any relation to the Malfoy name. The Malfoy vault is no longer available to him and he shall not attempt to use the Malfoy name in any of his transactions personal or not henceforth"._

 _This brings us to ponder the vagaries of fate as we would like to know the circumstances behind the renouncement. It is no secret that Draco had often in the past talked highly of his father and we wonder as to what has happened to cause this. When this reporter talked to several of the students at Hogwarts they had this to say._

 _Quoting one student of many that echoed the same sentiment "Draco had always flaunted his wealth and made a show of power and riches. He had fashioned himself as the prince of Slytherin and his behavior was nothing short of bullying. Why, he even used to pick fights with Harry Potter and the both of them have always been arch rivals"._

 _We tried to talk to the Boy-who-lived on his views but our efforts at getting a comment from the Boy-Who-Lived were not successful. We at Daily Prophet will however persevere to unravel the story as soon as we get to the mystery behind the renounciation._

His fingers trembled as Draco slowly placed the paper back on the table. He took a deep breath and fought for control. "This does not make me look good does it?" he commented drily as he blinked back the moisture from his eyes. _Merlin!_ This was difficult. He felt suddenly adrift even if he had known that this was coming. Suddenly his future felt even more uncertain than before.

Lucius had definitely not been the model parent but there had been good moments, which even Lucius could not dampen. Few realized that the manor had held far more sentimental value for Draco than the money associated with it. It had been _home_.

"Do not dwell on these things Draco." Severus intervened. "It does not help to fret over such situations that cannot be changed. Put this behind you for now and focus on what has to be done. Once you are done with your breakfast I shall cast the glamour for our trip to Diagon Alley".

Draco nodded and focused on getting through his breakfast. Soon he found himself in the living room looking at a different reflection of him. His tell-tale white blonde hair had been darkened considerably, so much so that it was closer to black than blonde. His eyes, another Malfoy tell-tale had also been darkened and it was now a dark brown to match his hair. Thank goodness it was not _Harry Potter green_ , Draco thought smiling to himself.

Severus stepped back to see the results and not being satisfied waved his wand again. Draco saw his skin color become slightly less pale which made the transformation complete and soon Draco felt sufficiently confident that no one would recognize him.

Satisfied with the results Severus waved the wand over himself and lightened his hair and eyes doing the opposite of what he did with Draco. The end result was that they had a kind of similar hair and eyes which was good as he could now pass them off as father and son.

"Okay, listen carefully. You are now Daniel Jackson. Should anyone be curious you are transferring from Durmstrang to Hogwarts and you are my son. You got all of that?" Severus asked. Draco nodded to show that he understood. Severus strode to the fireplace and took a handful of floo powder. He called out "Leaky Cauldron" and stepped into the floo. Draco swiftly followed and found himself in the crowded bar.

They swiftly nodded to the barman noticing his curious glare and made their way to Ollivander's. They wanted to finish off the important part first. As they entered the shop the aged wand maker stepped forward to meet them.

"Yes what can I do for you?" he asked. Severus answered "My son is transferring to Hogwarts this year and we are in need of a new wand" he said not offering more than asked. "What happened to the one he was using?" the old man asked and Severus once again answered "Unfortunately it got damaged in transit" he said. The wand maker gave them an assessing glance at Draco before asking "may I know what wand you were using before young man, it might make the search easier".

Draco exchanged a look with Severus and answered "it was hawthorn with unicorn hair". Ollivander looked up sharply, recognition dawning on his features. "Hmm curious, very curious" he muttered but did not deign to expand on it.

He shuffled off to find suitable wands and came back loaded with them. He extended one box to Draco who took the wand and gave it a swish. It however did not feel right and did not evoke any response. Nodding to himself, Ollivander brought out some more wands. But none of them produced sparks and Draco was really beginning to miss his old wand when Ollivander held up a hand.

He disappeared to the back of the shop and came out holding one another wand box. "Try this, I believe it might help Malfoy" he said as Draco looked up in shock.

"You are mistaken. My name is Daniel.." he started to say when Ollivander interrupted him. "Don't bother young man. You see, the combination of wood and string can never be the same for two wizards" He expanded before continuing.

"The wand really does choose the wizard and Hawthorn and unicorn hair is the combination of Draco Malfoy. But don't worry Draco as I suppose I should call you, at least according to the papers, your secret is safe with me. However do try this wand. It will be a most curious thing if it works" he said cryptically.

Draco looked at Severus and seeing him nod took the extended wand. He gave the wand a swish and was instantly rewarded with bright sparks. The wand felt warm in his wand and he felt the connection immediately. Yes this was the wand and he wondered what was curious about it.

Ollivander took the wand back with a smirk. Draco could not resist asking "what's so special about this wand?". Ollivander smiled and said "oh! This wand has the components of two wands that have withstood You-know-who. You see the wood is vine which Hermione Granger shares with you but the string is the real surprise. It is phoenix feather that is present in both Harry Potter 's wand as well as You-know-who himself. It is not the _same_ phoenix however but a phoenix nevertheless. It is very rare for a phoenix feather wand to find a wizard. I once said this before and I say it once more "this wand is designed for great things. Use it wisely" he said.

Draco nodded shakily, rattled by the experience while Severus paid for the wand and they exited the shop lost in thought. Severus turned to Draco "well that was unexpected. Are you okay with the clothes part now?" he asked. Draco nodded and followed Severus to Madam Malkin's and Gladrags where they picked up the school robes as well as a new wardrobe for Draco. While it was a far cry from the posh and expensive clothes that he was used to, it was decent and looked good on him.

By the time they had finished their purchases including quills, parchment and school supplies it was almost time for dinner. The lunch they had had earlier in the day was long gone and Draco was ready to go home. Severus was equally tired and they made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron but unfortunately they could not slip by that easily this time.

The barman who missed nothing came forward and addressed them "Haven't seen you folks before. New to this part of town are you?" he asked. Severus took it upon himself to respond in his altered dulcet tone "Yes we are new here. My son is transferring from Durmstrang and starting his stint in Hogwarts. We are quite tired and I would like to stay and talk but we are due home." The barman nodded "another time then" as Severus made his farewell and they flooed home.

Almost immediately Severus went about reversing the glamour just as soon as he had ordered dinner. They ate the dinner in silence as both of them were quite worn out before getting ready to hit the sack. Their routine was however interrupted as a parchment made its appearance in the floo.

Severus reached forward to see that the parchment was from Dumbledore addressed to him.

 _Dear Severus,_

 _I thought it might interest you to know that Harry has consented to make a trip to the chamber of secrets to retrieve the essential item. You are invited to make the trip along with him to take what might be of use to you. It would be prudent to be ready for the trip should it occur tomorrow itself, hence the need for a late missive. I will be pleased to furnish more details in the morning should you need more information. I am also not averse to the idea should you wish to take along with you a companion._

 _Take care and good night._

 _Albus Dumbledore._

Severus read the missive thoughtfully. He could only guess that Dumbledore must have filled in Potter about the horcruxes. He wondered if the brat knew more than him now as his knowledge was rather sketchy. He had seen the ring in Dumbledore's office and had felt the vile magic radiating from it. Upon enquiry Dumbledore had filled him on the presence of Voldemort's horcruxes.

Severus had been horrified and a part of him had sympathized with Potter. But with the recent events it had been relegated to a further part of his mind until now. On reading the letter he had understood that there was something in the chamber of secrets that could be used against horcruxes and that Potter had agreed to retrieve it.

Bringing to mind what he had heard about the chamber he realized that a dead basilisk lay rotting in it. The basilisk that Potter supposedly slayed in his second year. He refused to believe that Potter was brave or anything foolish of that sort but there was no denying that basilisk components were both rare as well as expensive in the market. It would be foolish to not use the opportunity which meant that he had to go with the Potter brat into the chamber.

What to do of Draco though? After the events of the last few weeks Severus felt uneasy about leaving him unsupervised. He would have to go too and if it inconvenienced Potter then so be it. The thought of inconveniencing the brat was actually appealing as a small smile played on his lips.

He also realized that Draco had been watching silently until he ventured with a question of his own. "Who is it from Sir?" he asked. "It is from Dumbledore requesting a meeting in the morning. There are some things that I need to tell you which I will in the morning. Now get to bed as will I. Good night." he bid and made his way to his bedroom. Draco followed suit his mind caught up in this latest development.

The next morning Severus called Draco to his side once breakfast was done. "Draco sit down there is something that I need to share with you. You know about the chamber of secrets?" he asked. Draco looked up sharply "what? That thing actually exists?" He enquired.

"Yes as a matter of fact it does," Severus replied before adding "and if you have kept up with school gossip you will realize that there is a dead basilisk lying in the chamber. The headmaster has asked Potter to make a visit to the chamber for purposes of his own and he has invited me to go along with him. Basilisks make for fine potion ingredients and I will be making the trip for that purpose. Under the current circumstances it doesn't feel right for you to be by yourself in which case you are to accompany me."

Draco felt uneasy with being around Potter in the chamber of secrets no less and felt compelled to ask "would his other two arms be there too?" he asked. "If you mean Miss Granger and I am afraid that they would be there, yes. I suppose you would be able to maintain your decorum around them. Mediating a fight is _not_ what I want to do down there". Severus replied.

Draco fell silent for a moment before replying "Potter and Granger are tolerable but the Weasel.." he stopped to see the warning look on Severus's eyes before quickly adding "Don't worry Uncle Severus, I will behave".

In a small undertone however he muttered to himself "I hope". But at the same time he could not stop the small excitement that he felt at seeing Hermione again. A warm glow filled him at the thought of her. As he thought of the situation however, a question rose to the forefront of his mind "what does Dumbledore want from the chamber of secrets though and why should Potter be the one to go?" he asked.

Severus looked torn for a moment before saying "That is not within my rights to reveal though I can tell you that Potter has to be the one to go since the chamber can be opened only with parseltongue. Perhaps with time I can tell you what it is the Dumbledore wants" he said. Draco nodded hearing the unsaid "if you are trusted you will be made known". Yes it was all a question of trust and how to gain it at this point of time.

"I should also tell you that we are waiting for the time and date from Potter but there is a chance that it might be today itself. So be ready" Severus warned. "I am going to meet Dumbledore and find out if a time had been fixed. Until then stay here" he said and made his way to Dumbledore's office.

Dumbledore was seated at his desk when Severus strode in. "Good morning Severus. I presume that you are here to discuss the information that I shared with you yesterday" he said with the customary twinkle in his eyes.

"You presume right Albus. Do I take it that you have told Potter about the horcruxes?"he asked. Dumbledore nodded "Yes I have told him some of it but not all of it" he replied in answer to the unasked question.

A frown crossed Severus Snape's features "don't you think the boy deserves to know it all Albus?" he asked. Dumbledore fell silent, a sad look gracing his aged visage "I am afraid my courage has failed me Severus, but you are right. He will need to know when the time comes" he said sighing deeply.

Severus made as if to continue the dialogue but the haggard expression on Dumbledore's face stopped him. The man was anguished enough. "I assume this trip to the chamber is in regards to the destruction of the ring?" he asked instead.

Dumbledore brightened a bit as he said "Yes, Harry has agreed to get the Basilisk fangs to destroy the ring" he affirmed. "Did he say when?" Severus asked to which Dumbledore pointed to a parchment. Severus saw the messy handwriting that he knew to be Potter's on the parchment.

"This afternoon after lunch" Dumbledore expanded. "You may get ready. I have already asked Remus Lupin to handle your class. Am I correct in assuming that you would be taking Draco along"? he asked delicately.

A flash of annoyance crossed Severus's face at the mention of Lupin but this was not the time. "In the current climate I felt that it was best that he be supervised at all times so he will be accompanying me into the chamber".

Dumbledore nodded at the expected answer and said "it might be useful for you to know that Harry mentioned needing a broom for the expedition, so make your arrangements Severus" he added.

Severus looked up startled; this was unexpected "a broom? Racing on the quidditch pitch is not enough for the golden boy is it?" he asked snidely.

"I don't know for what purpose Severus, perhaps you can fill me in later. I assume that I have already answered all your questions and I look forward to seeing you once you are back. Have a good day" Dumbledore said bringing an end to the meeting.

Severus got up from his seat and nodded to the headmaster before making his way back to his office in the dungeons.

 **Author notes** : Thank you for the fantastic response to my plea! You guys made my day. I wanted to do the chamber of secrets for this chapter and then realized that Draco's wand was a bit more urgent. I know that there are some of you out there who have been with me from the beginning of this journey. I would really like to hear from you, do you like the progression of the story? Is there anything that you will like to happen or see in the story? I will try to do justice by your expectations.

Thanks again for the support and stay tuned for the chamber of secrets in the next chapter. Even I am excited about that one lol!


	25. Chapter 25 the chamber of secrets

**Chapter 25 Chamber of secrets**

 **Author notes:** I would like to thank all of you for the follows and favorites. It's what keeps me going! Reviews would keep me going more but what the heck! I will take what I get.:))Well for someone who wanted to start with a one shot 25 chapters is a long way, so without further ado the chamber of secrets awaits primarily from Draco's POV.

Huh ! A small point here though….my longest chapter yet and I really hope you like it considering that a ton of work went into it! I am pretty bleary and cross eyed at the end of it and I hope that would warrant a few reviews as well!

 **Legal disclaimer**

I own none of the characters of Harry Potter and the credit goes to Madam Rowling.

Severus Snape strode down to his rooms where Draco was awaiting further instructions. _Broomstick indeed_! Why on earth Potter would want a broomstick on hand, he wondered. It had been many years since he had flown but the skills never really disappeared he supposed or rather hoped.

Presently he was at the entrance and he let himself in with a quick password. Draco who had been seated on the sofa rose, keeping the newspaper he had been having aside. "So when are we going to the chamber?" he asked. "This afternoon and Draco, Potter wants us to have our brooms with us" he added. "Brooms?" Draco asked quizzically "why would we need brooms?" he asked.

"Merlin knows what Potter is up to! Let us be prepared in any case .You will have to borrow a school broom I suppose" Severus said. "Actually my Nimbus is in the Slytherin locker" Draco responded "Do you suppose I can take that?" Draco asked with longing in his voice.

Severus nodded "I will retrieve it for you as I go to get one of the school brooms for my use" he said. "In fact I will do it right away so that we can have a light lunch and make our way to wherever we have to meet Potter. I assume Dumbledore will let us know the meeting point sometime now so keep an eye on the floo alright"? he asked. Draco nodded while Severus made his way to the Slytherin locker rooms where the brooms were stored.

Within a few minutes he was back, laden with two brooms thankfully without attracting too much attention, to find Draco standing with a piece of parchment in his hand. "Potter will be meeting us at the entrance to the abandoned girl's lavatory on the second floor" he supplied.

"Very well let us get going then, and Draco I trust that you remember what we discussed. No riling up Potter and friends" he reminded. Draco smiled "Oh it's quite alright. I can hold my horses but can _you_ restrain yourself around Potter?" he asked snidely as they made their way to the second floor. Severus had cast the precautionary disillusionment charm again. They did not need any hexes their way from aspiring death eater wannabes.

"I suppose I will have to try", Severus said in response to Draco's question "basilisk ingredients are worth it" he said equally snidely. Draco snorted "No one can mistake you for anything but Slytherin Uncle Severus" he said.

Soon they found themselves in front of the abandoned lavatory to see the golden trio gathered with brooms in their hand as well. Draco idly noted that Hermione was carrying a school broom. Come to think of it, he had in all these years never actually seen her fly. So what was she going to do with the broom he wondered?

"Good afternoon Professor, Malfoy" Potter acknowledged, as Severus responded with his own curt "Potter". Draco merely nodded as the other two did the same.

Hermione acknowledged him with a smile he noticed, that made Draco feel warm. She really did have a beautiful smile that reached her eyes and he knew that it came from her heart. He felt a slight flutter in his heart and felt gratified that the smile was for him. For some reason he was very possessive of that smile and relished in it. He idly wondered how he had never noticed that until now.

However the moment was broken as he heard his professor's voice. "So what are we doing in front of a girl's lavatory Potter, with brooms in hand no less?" Severus asked with a slightly caustic tone. However much he tried he could not completely control his ire at Potter, Draco supposed. This was rich he thought asking _him_ to be controlled when he could hardly do the same.

"Oh! The entrance to the chamber is in the lavatory Professor" Potter responded. "And pray tell me, why do we need brooms?" Severus asked drily. Potter paused before launching into an explanation.

"Professor, the last time we were down there the exit got caved in. There are no stairs to climb out. Professor Dumbledore's phoenix actually got us out in fact. But I am afraid there are too many of us this time and we might have to fly out ourselves" he responded making the whole thing sound like a fantasy.

Severus nodded as dimly as Draco, with the thought of " _what the hell had happened in the_ _chamber_ " ringing in his head. Out loud however he said "lead the way Potter. There is no time to get into the whole story, however heroic it may be". Potter simply rolled his eyes while Ron gritted his teeth and they all walked in

"Oh Harry! It has been such a long time since I saw you" a feminine voice gushed as Potter went red in the face. The group turned to see the ghost of a young girl with glasses looking at Potter. "Hi Myrtle" Potter greeted her as Severus raised his eyebrows in disdain. "Are you going down there again? You know the invitation to share my toilet in case you die is still open" she purred.

Draco snorted while Severus regarded a blushing Potter with raised eyebrows.

"I did not know that your fan club extended to the undead Potter" he observed sarcastically. An annoyed look passed over Potter's face as the Weasel became red too, possibly from anger Draco surmised. Hermione herself had set her lips in a thin line which Draco was guessing to be annoyance. _Really that had been uncalled for_ he had to admit. The man was not doing anyone a favor, and coming from Draco that was quite an admission.

Potter hesitated for a moment before saying "Sir, if this arrangement is not to your liking, perhaps you should consider letting us go alone" in a courteous but firm voice. Draco was stunned. _Damn!_ Potter was good. He didn't think Potter had it in him and going by Severus's reaction it appeared that neither had he. _Strike one for Potter_ he thought mentally, his respect for Potter having gone up just a teensy bit more.

Severus knew lost ground when faced with it and so he had no choice but to acquiesce. "No, it's quite alright Potter. I realize that was uncalled for so shall we not waste any more time and proceed forward?" he offered. Potter knew the victory for what it was but did not play on it and moved in response to the sink at the center of the washroom.

On looking closer, Draco noticed the small snake carvings on the tap but he was nevertheless surprised when Potter hissed at the tap in parseltongue. "No wonder only Potter had managed to open the chamber" he thought as the sink moved aside to reveal a hole.

Weasley who had been silent for all this while, which in itself was unusual spoke up for the first time. "Harry, instead of sliding in and landing on the goo, why don't we fly in instead and land on our feet? He asked addressing Potter.

"Yeah you have a point. That is a brilliant idea Ron" Harry exclaimed before adding an explanation for the benefit of the newcomers. "Sir, Malfoy, you see there is a chute beneath the sink on which you would have to slide to get in. The problem is that you have no control when landing and the floor is covered in slime… _I am sure you get the picture_?" he asked hesitatingly.

Draco shuddered at the picture; no he would definitely not be coated in slime thank you, especially when he was wearing brand new clothes. Severus had apparently realized the same as he said "Yes we get the point. It makes more sense to fly in". Only Hermione was looking uneasy at the prospect, Draco realized.

Potter got on his broom ready to take the plunge when he turned to Hermione who had also remained silent all the while. "Mione, can you handle this or would you rather ride with one of us?" he asked. Draco gave Potter brownie points for the consideration in as much as he hoped that she would ride with _him_.

He just could not help his wayward thoughts which had come roaring back as soon as he saw her. His resolve to be just friends was a dim thought somewhere in the recesses of his mind as the passionate kiss he had shared with her was playing on his mind _. Sweet merlin! What was wrong with him_? Here he was in the chamber of secrets and all he could think of was how it would be to feel her body pressed against him as she sat with him on the broom!

But of course there was no reason for her to choose him when her friends were there. Perhaps she even had feelings for one of them. He really did not know much about her he realized apart from the fact that she was kind, sweet, non-judgemental and very pretty. As he listed it off in his mind he snorted, that was worthy of a mushy Hufflepuff, no less.

Hermione gave him a curious look at the snort and for just a second her gaze focused on his. It felt like she was looking into his soul and she was thoughtful for a minute before composing herself and saying "I will ride with you Harry" and quickly got behind Potter.

For just an instant a wave of jealousy swept through Draco as he saw her hold onto Potter with her hands on his shoulder. She had shrunk her broom and placed it in her pocket. He fought to fight the jealousy and told himself that at least it was Potter and not the Weasel. Thank goodness for small mercies. He glanced at the Weasel to see a disappointed look on his face as well and could not help grinning to himself. It looked like he had been hoping for the same and Draco wondered what the story there was.

Once Hermione was comfortably settled, Harry led the way in, swooping in and gently gliding to a stop where Hermione got off first. The weasel went in next followed by Draco and Severus. Draco had entered the chute which was shrouded in darkness and it had been an effort not to touch the sides or any part of the slimy chute.

It had been an almost vertical drop and he could see Hermione closing her eyes and burrowing her head on Potter's back as he made the descent. For a person not used to flying this must be hell he realized. He had to however acknowledge Potter's flying skill as he controlled the speed superbly and glided to a stop a scant few feet from the ground.

He had then levelled out so that they could balance themselves better. That he had done all this while carrying one other person was laudable.

The Weasel however was not so smooth Draco noted; he came in too fast and had to brake suddenly to avoid falling into the slime totally. As a result, his legs were splattered with the slime and he wound up splashing a bit of it as he landed. Not very smooth at all indeed.

Draco was at an advantage as he had seen the previous descents and therefore made the necessary adjustments so that he also glided in smoothly and levelled out before sliding off the broom. He turned to see Hermione had got off and was now waiting for the last member to join them.

She smiled at him and he could not resist asking "You don't; like flying?". She shook her head in the negative before adding "Not one bit", she confessed "I am scared of heights and don't feel comfortable on a broom at all" she said.

Draco nodded to show he understood but not could not resist adding "Perhaps you have not ridden the right way, one day we will show you the beauty of it". He had almost said I instead of we but this was neither the time nor the place. He could already feel the Weasel's glare directed at him.

Severus had surprisingly been quite at home on a broom and had landed smoothly as well and was now casting a scourgify to clear his shoes off the muck. Everyone followed suit and paused to take stock of the place.

Draco, Hermione and Severus looked around curiously never having seen it before as Potter and Weasley moved forward. The place was dark and damp, and was littered with what looked like animal bones, probably devoured by the basilisk long ago. There was a musty smell to the place which was definitely not inviting and everyone was happy to move quickly into the ante chamber.

They had moved as a group and Draco was happy to note that Hermione had unconsciously moved to his side as the darkness of the chamber pressed in. It seemed an almost natural instinct to hold her hand and make sure she was alright and it was with a great effort that he restrained himself. She was now walking so close to him that their shoulders almost touched and he could almost feel the heat radiating off her robe.

As they moved forward they could now see something long and thick in the shadows ….that had the shape of a _bloody hell! Was that snake skin?_ he thought startled _._ Everyone paused as they took in the discarded snake skin and unconsciously they drew close to each other. It was as if they were afraid that the snake would pounce on them from somewhere.

The atmosphere was almost ominous as the aura of the basilisk lingered. Draco cursed mentally as they ventured closer to the snake skin. Only Potter seemed unaffected, maybe because he had seen the real thing after all. As they took in the size of the snake skin they stood as if petrified.

Never in their wildest dreams had they imagined that a snake this big could even exist. Draco sucked in a breath and he unconsciously turned to Hermione to see if she was alright. She had turned white and was looking transfixed at Potter with wide eyes. Draco could not resist himself as he gently took her hand in his as he took in the spectre of the snake skin.

" _Honestly! This was the size of the basilisk that Potter killed"? he wondered._ This put Potter in a wholly different light indeed. Out loud however he restrained from commenting, not that there was anything appropriate that he could have said.

 _"WOW! That is a really big basilisk"_ seemed impossibly inane after all.

With nothing to say he settled for squeezing her hand in support as she turned to him and roused herself from the stupor. For a second he felt her tense and thought that she would surely take her hand away. But she however made no move to take back her hand and let it rest in his larger hands as she extended her other hand and gently clasped Potter's in a show of support herself.

For that matter, even Severus looked startled as he also mentally reassessed Potter and for once could not find anything disparaging to say. Draco's concentration was however focused on Hermione as her eyes were misted as she grasped Potter. When she did not say anything he tore his eyes away from her reluctantly, to see the Weasel's eyes boring into him. There was rage practically emanating from that look.

"So this is Slytherin's secret chamber huh Potter?" Draco spoke up in an attempt to diffuse the tension. "Yeah this is, but not all of it. There is another chamber we have to get to where the body lies" Potter replied easily. There was a shadow in Potter's eyes but none of the tension showed in his tone. Draco had heard in passing that Potter had almost died in here and for the first time the enormity of what Potter must have faced hit him.

"So shall we?" he gestured, reluctantly relinquishing Hermione's hand and moving forward when he was halted by the Weasel's glare. "You stop giving instructions" he snarled.

Draco was tempted to put the immature imbecile in place but he had told Severus that he would not bait the git. So he raised his hand in supplication and stepped back to allow Potter to lead the way once again. He however got his reward for good behavior when Hermione gave him a smile before stepping next to him as they moved forward.

The group moved forward before they once again faced a huge door with the image of a serpent engraved on it. Potter once again spoke in parseltongue to gain entrance to the chamber and they watched fascinated as the door slid open to reveal the entrance to a huge cavernous chamber.

They stepped into the chamber and were awed by the sheer size of it. Unconsciously their eyes were drawn to the huge body of the basilisk lying half in the water and half out of it. Even when dead, Draco felt nervous as he stepped a little closer to the basilisk.

It seemed to dominate even the huge form of Salazar Slytherin carved into the wall or the number of serpent statues lining both the walls. Granted that Salazar Slytherin was a parselmouth but really did he need so many reminders of a snake? It was downright spooky even to a Slytherin like him. Excesses must definitely run in that bloodline he thought wryly.

Looking at the real thing however Draco had to concede that it was terrifying and by the collective gasp that went up he was not the only one to think so. "Bloody hell! _**This**_ is the basilisk you fought with?"Weasley asked turning to Potter. Potter shrugged in answer as Weasley burst out again " _this damn thing bit you and you survived?"_ He asked in an incredulous tone.

Severus Snape looked up sharply at Potter while Draco himself felt a bit stunned. _What?_ His mind questioned. Potter on the other hand seemed to be a bit embarrassed by the attention and sought to mask it as he said "Professor perhaps you should start your search" neatly redirecting the moment. He then turned to his friends and said "come on let us gather the fangs" he said.

Severus nodded and stepped forward but not before drawling "sometime perhaps Potter, you could enlighten me on what exactly happened here" much to the astonishment of everyone. His tone had lost some of his bite and seemed almost civil.

He stepped forward pulling out several vials and pouches and approached the dead basilisk as the others followed. They all knew that technically it was dead but looking at the sheer size of it, it just seemed so alive and real and terrifying as well.

Draco crouched near Severus as he made a small cut on the body to take the blood of the basilisk. The eye of the basilisk was gouged out he noticed and there was an indent on the head. Probably Potter's work he thought as he held the vial directly under the cut so that the blood would get collected.

As Severus got ready to take some of the skin and other ingredients, Draco could not help but look at what Hermione was up to. Hermione seemed to have conjured some kind of a leather pouch and they were engaged in wresting the fangs from the basilisk. Weasley and Potter had managed to dislodge the fangs and dropped them carefully in the bag.

Once they had collected all the fangs Hermione had snapped the pouch shut and they stepped carefully away. Hermione then conjured a pitcher of water which they used to wash away any remnants of the venom or other things they might have touched in the process of removing the fangs.

Hermione feeling Draco's eyes on her turned to look at him. Draco looked away quickly, caught in the act even as he saw Severus's raised eyebrows-look and continued with packing away the basilisk ingredients himself.

In due course of time Severus scourgified his own hands and stood up. "Well we have harvested what we can right now, but obviously a basilisk this size warrants more trips. Potter I might need to make some trips in the future too. Will that be possible?" he asked addressing Potter.

Potter took a breath and seemed to consider the possibilities before slowly acquiescing. "Yes I suppose it can be done" he said. "Very well, we are done then. We can go back now. I trust your job is completed as well" Severus said looking meaningfully at the bag. "Yes Professor we can leave right away" Potter said and started moving to the exit as all of us followed swiftly behind him. No one wanted to remain in the chamber any longer than necessary.

They retraced their steps until they were standing under the chute once again. If getting down was tough, going up seemed twice as much. It was practically a vertical ascent with no holds whatsoever. Hermione looked almost green and even the Weasel looked doubtful.

"Oh my god! I should never have come, this was a dumb idea" Hermione muttered her face creasing in distress. Her hands were clenched and her eyes were clouded in worry and fear. She turned to Harry and said almost in tears "I can't do this Harry, I am going to just bring you down" .

Potter looked thoughtful "It's a vertical ascent, she can't obviously ride with one of us, the added weight will bring us down." He turned to Hermione "What if we ride alongside you and kind of pull you along?" he asked.

"I don't know Harry, I don't think I can…I am soo sorry" she cried. Draco wracked his brains for an idea and the solution occurred to him. He turned to Potter as well.

"Potter what if you go on up and throw down a rope? You can haul her up" he suggested. Before Potter could say anything however, the Professor said "it's a long way up Draco; it will be very difficult using just manual means".

"What if one of us stays here to cast a levitation charm to help things along?" he said. The Professor looked thoughtful. "That might work. do you think you can try it?" he asked. Hermione nodded shakily "Yes Professor I will try it. I really don't want to be a problem" she muttered.

Draco wanted to separately tell her not to be afraid but he dared not say what was on his mind. The Professor once again addressed the group "so Potter you and Weasley go on up and throw down a rope. We will help with levitating and you can pull her up. Is that acceptable" he asked.

Potter however looked sheepish as he raised his own concern "Sir, we don't have a rope and our transfiguration is not really on par. We will need your help" he finished. Severus gave an exasperated look at the pair and sighed "very well I will accompany you. Draco are you able to handle the levitation charm by yourself?" he asked.

"Yes sir, I can handle it" Draco responded. Severus turned to Potter and Weasley "Let's go now without wasting any more time" he said taking charge. Potter moved under the chute and positioned himself with the broom but Weasley held his ground.

As Severus made to question him he burst out "I am not leaving Hermione with _him_ " the words coming out rather petulantly. A flash of irritation crossed Hermione's face as Severus responded in his drawling tone "Did it not occur to you that hauling up a person will be quite cumbersome and the three of us will be required to take turns so that the strain is lessened? I for one am not quite looking forward to the manual labour, you see".

"Why can't _he_ haul her up and I stay here?" he questioned. Severus looked at him with disdain as he bit out "are your levitation charms good enough to carry her weight?. If you think you can do that you may stay here".

"Fine, you win, I will come with you" Weasley admitted grudgingly as Hermione added "it will be fine Ron". "Yeah sure" he responded sarcastically before mounting his broom .Severus followed suit and soon they were airborne.

Judging by the slow speed and muttered oaths it must have been very difficult and Draco was relieved when he heard Potter call out "Okay we made it. Get ready". His voice sounded far away and Draco realized that it _was_ quite a distance indeed.

He looked at Hermione and by an unspoken agreement they moved to stand under the chute. He reached out for her hand and held it in a firm grip "I am here Hermione. You will be fine. I won't let anything happen to you" he said.

Hermione took a shaky breath "I am scared Draco" she said in a small voice. Draco had never seen her so vulnerable and it tore at his heart. She seemed fragile and he felt his protective side rear it's head. _Heck_! He didn't even know that he _had_ a protective side until that moment. She was bringing out a whole new side of his personality that he did not even know existed and he rather liked it.

He could not help himself as he laid a hand on her shoulder and drew her close. He held her gently as she turned and buried her face on his chest. Her eyes were closed and her hands fisted in his robes "Draco I am scared" she murmured.

It was hardly romantic but it could very easily be the most beautiful moment of his life he reflected. He placed his left hand behind her head and brought his right around her waist and drew her against him even closer offering comfort. Her body felt warm and alive in his hands and he felt a plethora of indefinable emotions, holding her against him.

The moment was however broken by the sound of Potter's voice calling out "What are you guys waiting for?". They had been so lost in the embrace that they had not realized that the rope had been let down. Hermione lifted her head from his chest and slowly stepped back from him.

"I am here okay, behind you and I am not going to let anything happen to you. Now go on" he reassured her. When she still looked nervous he bent forward and lightly brushed his lips against hers. "Go on" he softly he urged holding her gaze with his own.

Hermione took a deep breath and steeled herself before grasping the rope. She hooked her legs around the rope and looked at him with steely determination. "Potter she is ready" he called out and watched carefully with his wand drawn as the rope started going up inch by inch.

It was a slow ascent and a quarter of the way up he could see Hermione's arms quivering with the effort of holding on. That was his cue and he immediately raised his wand and cast the levitation charm.

He felt the strain on his own arms as his wand twitched with the effort. He had never before levitated a heavy object with the spell and he felt the strain of it. At the same time he felt gratified as the strain on Hermione's face relaxed as the charm moved her up a couple of feet without any effort on her part.

She looked down and saw the strain on his face and nodded to him to show that he could let go off the charm now. Acknowledging her gesture, he slowly lowered his wand. His breath was already coming in gasps and he dimly realized that this was only the first spell and he would have to do this many more times in the next many minutes.

The progress was slower than he thought but she was slowly rising higher and soon she would be out of his vision range. From where he stood, he could see the panic rising on her face as the height increased and he called out in a calm voice "Don't look down Hermione. Just keep thinking of something else and how soon this is going to be over".

"Draco I am scared. Please come up, please…." Her panicked voice came back to him with a pleading tone. It would be hell managing his ascent _and_ casting the spell but he could not ignore the fear in her voice.

He could not deny that he was tense with worry and admitted anything would be better than that. In any case he needed to keep her in sight in order to cast the charm he told himself. He knew that it was a weak excuse but he was not going to argue with himself over this.

" _Draco Please…I am scared_ " Hermione called out .Her voice was totally panicked and Draco could hear the underlying hysteria. He also heard Potter and Weasley call out assurances and called out his own. "I am coming Hermione, hold on".

Grasping his wand tightly in his hand, he mounted the broom and made his own ascent trailing the rope. It was highly disorienting to make a vertical ascent into the dark chute but he really had no choice. Hermione was struggling with her fear that was sure to be heightened by the darkness.

"Can someone cast a _lumos_ in here? I need to be able to see her" he called out. He heard a grunt and a strobe of light streamed in. He saw Hermione a few feet ahead and she seemed to be at the end of her tether already. He whipped out his wand and cast the levitation charm again.

It was almost impossible to fly and keep up the charm so he stopped and balanced himself against the side of the chute. It was damp and possibly dirty but there was nothing that could be done. He saw Hermione go up some more and slowly let up the charm to rest his aching arms.

When he felt some of his strength return he once again made his vertical ascent made somewhat better with the light and drew almost level with Hermione. They were more than halfway up the mark and both of them were rather tired.

She smiled at him tremulously and he gave back an encouraging smile. "Just a little more to go Hermione. I will boost you up and it will all be done" he said and readied himself for another casting. He knew that she could not keep with this much longer and decided that he would give one final boost and get her over the edge.

He took a deep breath and held his wand steady. "Potter I am going to levitate her over the edge, grab her will you?" he called out. He heard Severus's shout out "Of all the asinine ideas, who will levitate _you_ after that?". Of course the Professor would know how taxing this was.

"This is taking too long sir, I have to try" he called out and added "Now Potter" before Severus could object anymore.

"Draco don't take a chance, please don't hurt yourself on my behalf.. I will manage" Hermione called out but Draco knew what he had to do. He knew that the current pace will tax him even more and he was not sure that he could sustain the spell at all. He might give out before she even reached the top. "It's alright Hermione. I will be ok" he smiled reassuringly and aimed the wand at her.

" _wingardium leviosa_ " he called out with all the remaining power he had and watched with satisfaction as she was pushed almost to the edge. He saw a pair of hands reach out for her and grip her wrist before lowering his wand slowly. His energy was totally gone and he was totally exhausted. That last spell had demanded all his power and now he was drained.

There were white spots dancing in front of his vision and he swayed on the broom. Desperately he reached to find something to hold on but the smooth walls of the chute gave him no purchase. Through a haze he thought he heard Hermione calling out for him and a faint light seemed to shine from somewhere.

His mind seemed incapable of thought and his vision was starting to tunnel. Just as he gave up the fight and started to slide off his broom into blessed oblivion, he felt a hand clasp around his own and jerk him upright back on his seat.

He heard a frantic "Draco, wake up, come on …" as Potter's voice penetrated the fog. Of course the golden boy could not let him fall, and yet he was grateful that he had come. That _would_ have been a nasty fall.

Potter was still holding onto his hand and Draco was grateful for the contact. He focused on the grip as he struggled back to awareness.

"Draco are you alright, talk to me?" Potter's worried face swam in his consciousness and he vaguely nodded to show that he was alright. "I am letting go now. Hold on to the rope okay? I am going to go back up and we will pull you out" he said. Draco nodded to show that he understood as he was still feeling a bit disoriented.

He watched Potter rise up again and made his way to the rope. He tucked his wand in his waistband and took a hold off the rope while entwining his legs around it. His movements were slow and sluggish as he tugged on the rope to let them know that he had it.

"Okay now" Potter called and slowly he was being pulled up. Draco kept his eyes closed as he was still dizzy. The rope was spinning and he was becoming nauseous. He tried to help by moving up the rope but even the slightest movement caused pain to erupt behind his eyelids and he gave up the idea as soon as he had tried it. He simply held onto the rope and waited to see the edge of the damned chute.

As the end came near he saw Severus lean down and cast a levitation charm and felt himself lifted straight over the edge.

He went sprawling on the floor of the bathroom only dimly aware of what was happening around him. He felt hands on his body turning him and placing him on someone's lap. His jaw was forced open and he felt a cool liquid working it's way down his throat.

It was a quiet few minutes until he opened his eyes to look into the worried faces of Potter and Hermione. He realized that he was still lying on Severus's lap and slowly supported himself as he made to get up. He sat up still a bit unsteady and took in the worry on his godfather's face. He knew that a furious lecture was on the cards at some point later on.

"Seems I am more unconscious than conscious these days" he griped before he was engulfed in a hug. His hands went around Hermione as she hugged him fiercely, her bushy hair right under his face "I am sorry" she muttered before leaning back and giving him a fierce glare "don't you dare frighten me like that again" she scolded.

Draco did not know what to say for a moment but the feeling of being worried over was rather nice. "I am alright" he muttered before looking over her head at the others. Severus had a rather curious look on his face with raised eyebrows while the Weasel was almost spitting fire. Potter's look was non-committal and difficult to read at the moment. "How are you feeling Draco?" Severus asked. "Much better Sir" Draco responded.

" perhaps if you let him get up we can make our way out" Severus commented drily. Draco gently disentangled himself from a flushed Hermione and got up. He bent down and retrieved his broom as all the others got to their feet as well.

"So where to now?" he asked the room in general. "The headmaster's room I suppose" Severus said and gestured for them to make their way out of the bathroom.

 _Please leave a review on the way out!_


	26. chapter 26

**Chapter 26 two down and how many more to go?**

 **Legal disclaimer** : Harry Potter and everything to do with him belongs to J. and I make no money out of this.

 **Author notes** : Hi there! Big thanks to all the readers who stopped by and even bigger thanks to those who have added my story to their list either to follow or to favourite. Reviews would make my day and please please make my day. Having said that let me get onto the next chapter without much more delay…

The motley group made their way to Dumbledore's office, each of them submerged in his or her own thoughts. Draco was wondering why they would be going to the headmaster's office laden with Basilisk ingredients while Hermione was lost with thoughts of what had happened in the chamber.

Her reactions had been not only out of character but also startling. Where had all the feelings come from? When she had seen Draco unconscious she had freaked out totally. She had been frightened out of her wits and she had been worried beyond reason. In the past, she had reacted this intensely only when it came to her closest friends and this put a whole new spin on things, one which she was not sure she could justify.

Heck! She could not even _explain_ it and she definitely did not want to consider the possibility of falling in love with the blond young man, although it was becoming more plausible by the day. Well _that_ was a more decent explanation of the kiss anyway she reasoned to herself.

But as she pondered over the disturbing scenario, they found themselves at the door of the Headmaster's office.

They went in after giving the password to find Dumbledore waiting for them. "Please take a seat Severus. I assume the trip was a success?" he asked without preamble. Severus Snape nodded in the affirmative taking a seat opposite the headmaster while the teenagers remained standing.

"Do you want to be there when we destroy it?" Dumbledore asked Severus "or would you rather not be here?" he added delicately glancing at Draco. Severus made to answer but Draco beat him to it "would rather not be here _for what_ exactly?" he asked in his slow drawl "Sir" he added a little belatedly.

Dumbledore looked at the group speculatively and his gaze rested on Severus. "Severus do you think Draco should be appraised of what is going on? If he agrees, it pretty much decides his course of action in the future. There is no going back. He can still choose to not be a part of this" he said looking at Draco sideways.

Severus kept silent lost in thought while he contemplated the situation. But before he could answer Draco butted in "well with due respect, _He_ is right here and I can speak for myself. Now once and for all I ask again what the secrecy is about".

"Draco I can understand your curiosity but this is no light matter and the people involved have to consent as well" Dumbledore pointed out looking at the group in front of him.

"Well if you did not want me to be here, why did you bring me here?" Draco asked looking at Severus directly. Severus sighed "I did not want you going to my quarters unescorted. Everyone is not an ally anymore, especially to a _former_ Malfoy" he said placing a soft emphasis on the word former.

Draco winced when Ron burst out with a snigger "I don't want a _former_ Malfoy to know everything; he cannot be a part of this. It's too risky". "You astound me with your predictability _Weasel_ " Draco muttered and glanced a look at Potter and Hermione. He wondered if this was the moment that he would be kicked out.

Potter had remained silent until then, but spoke up now "I don't mind Draco being a part of the team Sir. In my opinion his position is not so different from mine. Both of us are being hunted by Voldemort", here he paused knowing the name was not welcomed by many and then continued "but the difference is that I don't have much of a choice in this but _he_ does. If he joins us willingly he has to maintain civility _and_ gain our trust, not to mention that he would not have the choice to back out then" he said looking straight at Draco.

Draco nodded to show that he understood, it was what he would have done in Potter's place. "Thanks Potter, that is fair" he acceded and looked at Hermione expectantly. Hermione smiled at him and said in a clear voice "I think he deserves to know Sir, I believe his addition will make us stronger" she finished determination shining in her eyes.

Both of them did not look at Ron, they knew the anger would be simmering in his eyes and this was not the time for arguments.

"Thank you Hermione" Draco said "Now will you fill me in on the details please," he said his patience already running thin. Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling and said "Now that your decision is clear Draco, I will tell you the real reason for the foray into the chamber of secrets". He then proceeded to tell him of the horcruxes and the reason for Voldemort's immortality.

Draco was horrified "So that is why the bastard cannot die, pardon my language, _and_ do we know what the _horcruxes_ are?" he asked. Dumbledore answered "we know that the diary that Lucius Malfoy slipped to Ginny Weasley in your second year was a horcrux. Harry however destroyed it when he fought the basilisk" he said.

Draco turned to Harry and raised his eyebrows " _Merlin_ Potter! Did you know it was a horcrux?" he asked curiously. Harry smiled thinly "no I did not know, it was pure chance that I did.. destroy it I mean" he said and let Dumbledore take up the slack again.

"Over the last months I have identified the Gaunt ring to be a horcrux as well and here it is. This is the horcrux we now need to destroy" Dumbledore said laying the ring on the desk.

Everyone could feel the evil vibes emanating from the ring and it made Draco uneasy. The scar on his chest tinged as in response to its creator and he saw Potter rub his scar as if it was tingling too. Severus Snape was leaning forward and examining the ring without touching it while the other two had uneasy looks of their own.

"Who are the Gaunts and why did the Dark Lord choose their ring to be a horcrux?" Draco asked with a puzzled expression. "That is rather a long story that Harry can fill you in at a later time Draco. We have to get on with what we have assembled here for" Dumbledore said.

"Okay" Draco acquiesced before asking the next question. "So how do we destroy it?" Draco asked in a near whisper. Hemione reached into her pouch and drew out a basilisk fang. "With this" she said simply.

"Good thing Potter is a parselmouth then" Draco breathed with a dry smile and turned to see that Potter had a vague smile himself. "So is it that once we destroy that thing the Dark Lord can be mortal again?" he asked with a bit of doubt. His doubt arose with the looks on their faces, they were not relieved. If at all Dumbledore looked even more somber and the look on Harry's face was pure anguish albeit fleetingly.

Hermione shook her head sadly and Snape got into the conversation "what is the magically powerful number Draco?" he asked in his customary drawl. Draco blanched " _what? NO_! It can't be" he thought in horror before answering "seven" in a soft whisper. " _He made seven_ _horcruxes?_?" he asked his voice coming out in disbelief.

They were doomed; there was no chance to survive now. He was completely screwed. His agitation became pronounced and he started pacing. Finally he sat down and held his head in his hands. " _Merlin_! I am doomed aren't I?" he asked the room at large.

Dumbledore spoke up, his eyes twinkling "yes it is a major setback but don't give up. He has no greater victory than our surrender. Look at what we have Draco. We have each other, we stand together. He fights alone. That is our first victory…don't worry the others will follow" he said in a soothing voice.

"No it is different for you and different for me. You _have_ to fight, whereas I, I chose this! _That_ is a greater crime in the Dark Lord's eyes" Draco despaired.

But his rant was cut off as Hermione walked to him and laid a hand upon his. The warmth of her skin seeped through his robes and he felt himself calming down as he instinctively clasped her hand. He looked at her and saw strength and determination in her eyes and he felt some of his fear receding. He took a deep breath and slowly nodded.

"Okay so we fight. What now? Do we destroy this thing now?" he asked the room at large. Potter replied "yes we destroy this thing now. But be prepared for a bit of a fight. The bit of soul that is there does not go without a fight" he warned.

Severus Snape had a keen look in his eyes as he addressed Potter "what should we expect Potter?" he asked. "Well the bit that was in the diary wanted to kill me so that is what we should expect" he said. Snape looked at Dumbledore "So shall I do the honors?" he asked dryly.

"Much as I would like you to do it, I am afraid I can't ask you to." Dumbledore said as he held up a hand to still the argument "If you get injured Severus, I am afraid I have no one to teach in your stead" he said and continued "the same holds good for me, my presence is required at the school which I am sorry to say, leaves one of you" he said looking at the four teenagers in front of him.

Harry moved forward automatically but stopped short as his scar erupted in pain. He gasped and sank to his knees. Ron and Hermione moved to his side and helped him to his feet immediately while Snape and Dumbledore stood up ready to assist.

Ron gently prised the fang from Harry's hands and guided him into a seat. "Sit down mate one of us will do it" he said. Draco took a deep breath and moved forward. For the first time he felt that this was _his_ endeavour. He felt that he was _meant_ to do this. "If it's ok I will do it. I want to do my part in bringing _Him_ down" he volunteered.

Ron hesitated and gripped the fang harder "how do we know we can trust you?" he asked. "All the more reason for me to do this" Draco said before adding "Look at this way, if I get injured it doesn't matter if I miss a few classes as I am yet to rejoin the classes. You guys, on the other hand will need to make up the missed sessions. It works in your favour not to do this".

"Spoken like a true Slytherin but I guess you have a point" Ron conceded and handed over the fang to Draco. Draco gripped the fang and approached the ring firmly when a thought occurred to him. "Hermione can you stand back?" he asked quietly and added "please" when she hesitated. He had no idea where the protectiveness was coming from but he felt relieved when Harry moved forward to shield her with his body.

Draco turned to the ring and before any objections could arise from Hermione, he quickly plunged the fang through the evil stone. Excruciating pain travelled up his arm almost immediately and he sank to his knees in pain. A shout of pain emerged from his mouth and tears of pain gathered in his eyes. He tried wrenching his hand back but he could not. It was as though it was stuck to the stone with waves of agonizing pain radiating up his arm. The pain radiated in undulating waves from his palm to his arm travelling upward in a steady spiral almost to his shoulders.

Severus Snape and Dumbledore rushed forward but were stopped by a wave of black smoke rising from the stone. It circled and circled gaining in size until it was a black tornado swirling around the room and encased Draco who was still stuck to the stone.

The others could not see Draco now as he was covered in the black smoke but they could hear him cry out. They could hear him begging someone in despair with cries of "please, please don't" but they could not venture near him. His voice was hoarse and broken and made everyone in the room deeply uneasy. They had never seen or heard the proud Slytherin in a vulnerable state before.

After what seemed ages but only a few minutes in reality the smoke dwindled and the room became clear again. Draco was released suddenly and Severus rushed forward to hold him as he sank to the ground. Harry and Hermione rushed forward as well while Ron stayed back uncertain.

Hermione sank to her knees beside Draco and she was startled to see tear tracks on his face. Harry tactfully turned his face away as Draco surreptiously wiped his eyes and focused on getting back his strength. He realized that he was lying against his godfather who supported him and also registered that Hermione was on the other side looking on with very worried eyes. The concern that glistened in her eyes almost made the pain worth it…almost!

" _Shite_! I am not going through that again" he quipped to the room in general as he sat up. "Language Draco" Severus reprimanded mildly as Hermione took his hand and gently removed the fang from it. She turned his hand palms up and gasped in dismay. Draco looked down fascinated by her expression and almost wrenched his hand away in shock.

His palm was reddened with a blob of burnt flesh right in the middle. Now that the radiating pain was reducing, he could clearly feel the pain from the burn resonating in his palm. He winced as he held his palm close to his body and sat up straight.

Severus put a hand around his bicep and hoisted Draco to his feet "are you okay?" he asked in concern as Draco swayed. "I am fine. I hope the horcrux is destroyed though" he asked looking pointedly at Dumbledore.

"Yes it has been destroyed. Thank you, Draco that was a brave thing to do. Let me have a look at the hand" Dumbledore said as Draco looked a bit uncomfortable with the praise.

"It was a selfish thing to do" Draco replied back much to the amusement of everyone who saw that he was playing the Slytherin as ever. Dumbledore however looked pointedly at him with the omnipresent twinkle in his blue eyes as Draco extended his hand reluctantly.

Dumbledore waved his wand over Draco's hand and muttered a few healing spells. The burnt flesh re-knitted and the skin became smooth but the redness and sensitivity remained. "This will help for the time being but you still need to apply the salve and take the potions which I believe your godfather will do better with" Dumbledore advised Draco.

Draco nodded and stood up ready to leave as Severus got up as well. "I will take leave Albus, I need to get those salves and potions now. Potter, good day to you" he said as Draco nodded to them as well and made his way to the exit.

A few feet from the door however he felt his dark mark burn and knew that his summons had come. "Damn it all to hell"! He swore viciously and turned around "Albus, I need to go. Potter take Draco to the infirmary and keep an eye out for Slytherins" he instructed.

Dumbledore moved swiftly "Severus don't worry and be careful" he warned while Harry moved to Draco. Without wasting time Severus walked swiftly out of the room and took the stairs to the dungeons. He quickly changed into his death eater robes and ran to the apparition point.

 **Severus**

Severus apparated to the clearing where the death eaters were assembled in a circle. Voldemort was pacing in the centre with a thoughtful look on his face. Once Severus had taken his place he spread his hands and addressed the gathering.

"Welcome my faithful followers. It angers me that two of our devoted members are no longer with us and it is imperative that we get them back. It is time for us to get Bellatrix and Lucius where they belong. You will be summoned to do the needful in a few days. _We will get them back"_ his red eyes flashed and the last few words were almost hissed out.

"Severuss" he hissed and Severus immediately fell to his knees. "Yes my lord, how can I be of help?" he asked a note of subservience entering his voice. "Where is Draco Malfoy?" he asked his eyes emitting the cruelty that did not reflect in his voice. Severus did not skip a beat as he replied" Still at Hogwarts my Lord."

" _And why it that he has still not been produced before me_ …what is the use of you being there Severus" he said silkily "and for your failure you will have to suffer the punishment" he proclaimed. Severus knew what was coming and held himself ready as the cruciatus curse hit him.

"Rise Severus" Voldemort called out as he stopped the curse and continued "you have a chance to redeem yourself however and I warn you that I will not tolerate failure again".

"What is that my Lord wants of me?" Severus asked softly having risen to his feet. "I want you to make the _vinculum_ potion". Severus blanched and for a moment felt immensely thankful that his face was hidden by the mask. "The _vinculum_ potion my lord?" he asked weakly.

"You do know how to make the bonding potion I trust?" Voldemort's voice sent deep shivers down Severus's spine. He occluded fiercely not letting his fear and disgust show as he said "Yes Master, I do. May I know the purpose of the potion?" keeping his head low.

"Severus can't you guess the purpose? The potion can form a bond with curse scars ….yes?" he paused dramatically and waited for Severus to say "Yes my lord it does". Voldemort continued "well both Potter and Draco now carry curse scars, both by my hand. Interesting don't you think?" he paused letting the impact sink and gave no further explanation.

"Now I want you to return to Hogwarts and get started on the potion immediately. I want it in my hand in the next few days. You may leave now" he ordered.

Severus wasted no time in apparating back to Dumbledore's office where he knew the old man would be waiting.

Dumbledore rose as soon as the floo activated "Severus are you alright?" he asked as he raked Severus's form for injuries. "I am alright but the situation is getting complicated" Severus supplied.

"Sit down first" Dumbledore said, conjuring a mug of hot chocolate as Severus sank into the chair gratefully. It _had_ been a trying day. "Thank you" he said rubbing the bridge of his nose as his right hand grasped the mug relishing in the warmth.

"What did he want Severus?" Dumbledore asked getting to the point. "He wants me to make the vinculum potion. I assume you know what it is for?" Severus replied looking at Dumbledore pointedly.

"Yes Severus, unfortunately I do and you are right the situation _is_ becoming complicated. I know that it creates a bond between the drinker and those bearing curse scars created by him" he said heavily. "Does he mean to target Harry and Draco or Harry alone?" Dumbledore asked his countenance becoming worried.

"Both" Severus said bluntly. "He treats Draco almost as much as he does Potter now" Severus sighed before adding "by the way he also means to break out Lucius and Bellatrix. Do what you must with the ministry and ensure that it does not happen. What do you suggest I do about the potion though. I have to confess that I cannot think of a way out. He is already unhappy about me not trying to capture Draco and if I do not give him the potion it means the end of my spying days."

"I wish I could tell you to end your spying and to be safe Severus, but I am afraid we rely too much on the information you bring. I am sorry my boy but you have to make the potion" Dumbledore said heavy with remorse.

"Yes I gathered as much" Severus agreed heavily "but what about the bond that Draco shares with me? How will the potion affect it?" he asked.

"The potion only affects curse scars inflicted by the drinker as far as I know so it should not affect you in any way. But we do not know how Voldemort plans to use the potion so we will have to wait and see what he does" Dumbledore replied.

Severus sighed and got up "well it has been a long day and it is time that I look in on Draco. Did he go to the hospital wing?" he asked. Dumbledore's twinkle became brighter as he said "yes Severus, his _friends_ did take him to the infirmary".

"Well I hope they don't; corrupt him too much" Severus huffed in mock annoyance as he reached the door. "That however is a discussion for another day Albus. Good night" he bade and made his way back to his quarters. Yes that was definitely a discussion for another day .But right now too many equations had changed and too many complications had arisen. Severus only hoped that everything would end well ultimately.

 _Please review!_


	27. Chapter 27 what next?

**Chapter 27 What next?**

 **Legal disclaimer** : Everyone knows that only the story is mine right?

The four teenagers had made their way to the hospital wing without any incident. Madam Pomfrey had clucked her head ruefully and commented "Competing with Potter huh?" dryly as she handed over the healing potion and salve for Draco's hand.

Draco gave her a winning smile as he said "We all but try Madam Pomfrey" with a wink as Harry glared at him. Poppy Pomfrey shook her head and shooed them all away with a smile of her own. "Now get going and turn on the charm elsewhere Mal …Draco" she corrected hastily.

Draco's smile faded and settled into a more serious expression with the slip up and he followed the trio out of the wing. "Okay so where do we go now?" he asked. Harry spoke for the three of them "We can't exactly go to either of our common rooms which leaves only the room of requirement".

They made their way to the room of requirement and entered to find a cozy sitting room with couches and sofas. A small table had appeared with sandwiches and a pitcher of pumpkin juice.

"Now this is really comfortable" Harry commented as they helped themselves to the food and lounged on the sofas. "Potter first of all thanks for the truce and the trust" Draco said opening the conversation. Harry acknowledged with a nod and he continued "this horcrux business …do you have any ideas on what the others are?" he asked.

Harry took a deep breath and looked at the group as Hermione cleared her throat and started to share what they knew. "Right now we have encountered two horcruxes one by accident and one by design. We had the diary of Tom Riddle which is the real name of You-know-who by the way, and the other was the ring belonging to the Gaunt family. The Gaunt family were Slytherin's descendants and You-know-who's ancestors. Both of them were not random objects. We think that they _meant_ something to you-know-who" she said.

"The diary actually wound up with your father…. _sorry_ Lucius Malfoy and ultimately got destroyed" she amended at the sharp look that Draco gave. "Draco you are the only one apart from Harry who has even seen _HIM_ ….you have actually spent time with him. Can you think of anything that he has shown any attachment to?" she asked.

Draco frowned as he said "you know there are many times I have wondered as to why he chose Malfoy Manor as his base. Yes, it is big and it is grand but most pureblood manors are as big and as grand including Crabbe and Goyle's. Do you think it is because he has a horcrux at the Manor?" he questioned.

Hermione gave a gasp and her countenance became thoughtful "yes it does make perfect sense. It is not something that ever occurred to us simply because none of us have ever seen these manors but when you put it like that it kind of makes sense" she said reiterating the point.

"Yeah I think so too especially considering that Voldemort has an ever present aide in Bellatrix" Harry said with derision. "He has her by his side all the time and consi…" Harry stopped abruptly as he was interrupted by Draco's shout of "Merlin! _I can't believe I didn't think of it!_ Potter I think I just might know what the next horcrux is" he declared his face animated as adrenalin pumped through him. "Damn it Potter, it was there under our noses all the time and we didn't even know" he lamented.

 _What?_ Harry, Ron and Hermione chorused. "What is it Draco?" asked Hermione breathlessly. "There is this necklace that Bellatrix wears, I don't know if any of you have noticed" Draco said with a meaningful at Harry. Harry shook his head "every time I have seen her I have been too busy fighting to notice anything except how demented she is" he said dryly.

"Hmm well as I was saying, there is this necklace that she wears _always_ and I mean always. And there was this time that the Dark Lord was touching the necklace almost reverently. It was a little sick and I was revolted at the thought of the both them.. Well you know but the necklace could be it" he finished lamely.

"But how can we be sure" Ron questioned speaking for the first time. Hermione bit her lip and Draco could see the cogs turning in her head. "We could ask Professor Snape. He has spent a lot of time around Bellatrix and we could all probably have a look at it if he shares his memory in a pensieve" she said.

"That's brilliant Hermione. Draco can you please talk to the Professor and get the memory?" Harry said. Draco nodded and voiced the next question "fine, If it _is_ the horcrux then what?".

"Then we go and get it" Ron said simply. " _And_ if it is at Malfoy Manor Draco, you might have to be our way in" Harry added. " _That is,_ if my father has not changed the wards to keep me out" Draco muttered in response.

"That just makes it even more imperative that we move fast Draco" Harry pointed out. "Right now he is in Azkaban and he might not have had the time to do anything about it yet. We _have_ to get the horcrux before he comes out from Azkaban" Harry said.

" _If_ it is a horcrux" Draco pointed out and Harry nodded " _If it is a horcrux_ , yes".

"Do you think Professor Snape would have returned?" Hermione asked. Draco sighed "I hope he has, let me go to our quarters in any case and wait for him".

Harry in turn stood up "It _is_ rather late and we have to get to our common room. Coming Ron?" he asked. "Yeah I am coming" Ron said and joined Harry but stopped to see that Hermione was still seated. "What? Aren't you coming?" he asked addressing Hermione.

She hesitated a bit before saying "I will join you in a few minutes guys. I just need a word with Draco" she said shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know what you would have to talk to the ferret about" Ron grumbled but he was cut off by Harry "leave it Ron. This is getting old." he turned to Hermione "We will wait outside. Don't take too long though. We don't want to give the room away" He said.

Hermione waited for her two friends to exit before turning to Draco. She wet her lips and stood hesitant not knowing how to ask the questions in her mind. Draco watched her keenly and noted her unease. Deciding to put her out of her misery, he moved forward and took her hand softly in his.

Again he could not help but marvel at how smooth and silky her hand was and how it fit so beautifully in his before softly asking "what is that you want to ask me Hermione? You can, ask me that is" he clarified.

Her breath hitched and her mind went blank as she basked in the feel of his large warm hands over hers. With an effort she brought back her thoughts under control and asked "what did you …"but Draco beat her to it. "What did I see when I destroyed the horcrux?" he finished her thought.

"Yes Draco. You sounded so torn and so tortured…please tell me what happened?" she asked again her tone soft and soothing. Draco stilled and Hermione was stunned by the maelstrom of emotions reflected in his eyes.

Taking a harsh breath she felt him stiffen and she saw his face close down. His eyes became hooded and his hand was now rigid against hers. "Please Hermione don't ask me to relive that now. I need time, perhaps when I have come to terms with it myself I can share it with you. But I am not ready for it now Hermione" he explained.

"But Draco…" Hermione wanted to comfort him and take away the sadness lingering in his eyes but stopped herself when he once again said " _Please_ Hermione". Reluctantly she nodded but could not resist asking the other dominant question in her mind "Draco what are we? This thing that is existing between us" she gestured to their linked hands "what is it?"

Draco looked into her eyes and she felt like the silver eyes were looking into her very soul. Her breath hitched as he shifted his position and lifted a hand to place it at the nape of her neck. She was distinctly aware of every inch of his hand on her neck as he swooped down and captured her lips in a soft kiss.

She could not help but close her eyes and lean into the kiss as her world fell away. All that she was aware of was how his lips were firm and soft at the same time. Her left hand was tangled somewhere in his baby soft blonde hair and her body strained against his as she deepened the kiss of her own accord.

Both of them emitted soft moans as they struggled back to reality, coming up for air and slowly disentangled from each other. Hermione's face felt hot and flushed and looking at him, she could see similar shades of red on his face. "Well what kind of an answer was that?" she demanded.

"A non-verbal one?" he replied with a smirk. She shoved him playfully on the shoulder and said "seriously Draco what the hell was that?".

"Well it looks like the big bad Slytherin has corrupted Gryffindor's golden girl after all…Hermione Granger swearing?" he teased and then became a tad sober "seriously Hermione the answer is that I don't know. I am attracted to you definitely. Merlin knows you have seen enough of _that_! But with the way things are right now I don't know what to say."

"Everything is so messed up and I don't even know if I will make it out alive Hermione" he said his eyes becoming shadowed. "Don't say that Draco" Hermione interrupted fiercely. "Don't you dare give up even before fighting back. You have us with you now and we have your back. We won't let anything happen to you" she said her eyes shining with determination.

"Hmm okay if you say so but still Hermione" Draco protested but before he could speak further they heard the door opening. Harry and Ron came inside. "Hermione we really cannot wait any longer. Everyone is giving us weird looks" Harry said looking anxious. Draco and Hermione looked at each other knowing that their conversation was painfully incomplete.

"Okay I am coming" Hermione replied and sighed before saying "see you later Draco. Speak to Professor Snape and let us know. We will take things from there. In the meantime please be careful. Good night" she bid and walked to join Harry and Ron.

"Good night" Draco called back and he frowned as he heard Ron say "what could you possibly have to talk so much with Malfoy". He smiled as he heard the annoyance in Hermione's voice as she replied back though he could not make out her exact words. He waited until he heard their voices fade before casting a disillusionment charm on himself and making his way to the dungeons.

Standing outside the quarters, he let himself in with the password to see Severus Snape lounging on the couch with a drink in his hand. The man didn't look injured and Draco thanked the lord for small mercies.

He looked up as Draco entered and gestured for Draco to take a seat. "Would you like something to drink before dinner?" he asked. "I wouldn't mind a butterbeer", Draco replied "it's been a long day" he added. "Yes it has been, your hand is healed I suppose?" Severus asked as he handed over the butterbeer.

Taking a swig of the drink Draco nodded "Yeah, It's fine and I have something to tell you" he said. Severus took his seat and gestured for him to continue. "We discussed the horcruxes and I think I might know what the next one might be" Draco said his voice belying his anxiety.

Severus sat up straight and raised his eyebrows "explain" he demanded. Draco then laid out his suspicions finishing with "but of course we need to see it to be sure. Perhaps you can share a memory of Bellatrix and we can see the necklace up close. What do you think?" he asked.

Severus remained deep in thought as he ruminated over the object. Of course he had seen the necklace too but had never paid it much attention. Slowly he replied "yes your idea has merit. I will indeed share a memory and we can see if it bears any fruit" he said in his measured tone.

"But we need to do it fast Severus. If it is the horcrux and if it is in Malfoy Manor I can get us inside. But I need to do it before my fath…no before _Lucius_ decides to change the wards against me. And you know that he _will_ " he emphasized.

"Yes I see your point. We will get to it tomorrow. In the meantime I have an important information to share too Draco." Severus said. Draco waited patiently as Severus gathered his strength to utter the next few words "You know I was summoned by the Dark Lord earlier" he said and continued when Draco nodded and gestured for him to continue. "He wanted me to make him a potion. The vinculum potion…are you familiar with it?" He asked delicately.

"No I have never heard of it. What is it Severus?" Draco asked wracking his brains to remember if he had heard of the potion at all.

"It is a bonding potion Draco. It creates a bond between the drinker and the curse scars that he has caused someone" Severus said heavily. Draco felt a jolt of alarm "And the Dark Lord wants to drink the potion. He wants me right?" Draco asked his voice coming out in a whisper.

Severus nodded silently. There was nothing he could say to make the situation better except for "and Potter too."

"Oh Merlin! When did life get this complicated?" Draco fumed before adding "can't you tamper with the potion or something Severus? Perhaps not give him at all?" he asked desperately.

"I am sorry Draco; the situation is way beyond my control. The Dark Lord is getting suspicious about me and if I do not give the potion I will lose my status within the circle. Right now the Order is heavily dependent on the information I give and in the light of you being in the thick of it I would rather be in a position where I know what the Dark Lord is up to" Severus explained.

Draco got up and started pacing as his mind wrapped around the new complication .He could see the logic behind the equation when suddenly a new thought occurred to him "what about our bond Severus? How is it going to be affected?" he asked.

"I don't know Draco. I am planning to tell Potter also about this situation and request Miss Granger to do some research on the potion. Perhaps we will be in a better position to tackle it" Severus replied.

"Yes that makes sense Severus…she will find a way. That girl can be tenacious when she wants to be" Draco murmured before sitting heavily in the sofa defeated. Severus raised an eyebrow at the comment and stood up from where he was sitting "well, nothing is going to be resolved on a hungry stomach. Let's have dinner and contemplate everything else tomorrow." He said.

Draco agreed and complied by walking to the floo that connected to the kitchens and asked the elves to send down some dinner from what was prepared for the Great hall.

They ate the dinner in silence with the events of the day weighing on their minds. It was with a heavy heart and mind that each went to bed wondering what the future was going to throw up next.

 **Author notes** : I was quite disappointed with the lukewarm response to the last chapter. Merlin knows what went wrong. Hope this one finds more favor. Thanks for reading and hope to hear from you! Ciao.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28 preparations**

 **Legal disclaimer** : Purely for the sake of creative writing!

Morning found Draco and Severus waiting for Harry Potter and his friends to join them in the office of Albus Dumbledore. Severus Snape had already met with Dumbledore earlier and had apprised him of Draco's hunch. Dumbledore had agreed that the idea was sound and had been interested to join them in the pensieve trip to view Bellatrix's necklace.

Presently they heard the door open and they looked around to see Potter and his friends troop in. Dumbledore gestured for them to take a seat "care for some tea?" he asked solicitously. However the offer was declined as everyone had assembled after breakfast and was eager to move on to the real issue.

"Severus filled me in on Draco's hunch about the horcrux and it seems prudent to see if there's any merit in it. I have my pensieve ready and we can view the memory now. Does anyone have any questions?" he asked.

Everyone shook their head in the negative and Dumbledore turned to Severus. "Your memory for viewing Severus" he demanded as Severus Snape concentrated on removing the thread of memory and dropped it in the gleaming pensieve. "Perhaps Draco you could add your memory as well?" he asked enquiringly.

"How do I remove the memory?" Draco asked and then followed the instructions given by Severus. Soon his memory was added to the swirling liquid.

"So what do we do now?" Ron asked as Dumbledore replied "You simply lean into the pensieve and you will find yourself sucked into the memory. Perhaps Harry can go first as he has had experience with this" Dumbledore quipped with a twinkle in his eyes.

Harry turned red but got up and approached the pensieve. He leant into the pensieve and disappeared from view. Ron shouted out in shock as Harry disappeared and walked tentatively to the pensieve. Hesitantly he peered into the pensieve and disappeared from view as well with a yell.

Hermione ventured next followed by the others and found herself in a big grand hall lined with chandeliers and expensive paintings on the wall. The hall was not empty however. Her breath caught as she caught her first glimpse of Voldemort and his death eaters. She could hear Ron's gasp behind her as he also took in the scene.

Voldemort on his part was seated on a grand throne like chair and his death eaters were seated in a semi circle in front of him.

This was the first time that Hermione was actually seeing Voldemort in the flesh and she could not deny the evil vibes that seemed to surround him. She glanced at the others and could see the shudder that seemed to pass through Ron as he saw Voldemort.

Harry's expression was neutral and her heart clenched at the thought of what her friend had faced all these years. Being in front of Voldemort she could appreciate the danger anew and she felt fear for her best friend, but at the same time she felt a wave of pride for the courage he had shown in facing down this evil wizard.

She glanced at Draco to see how _he_ was faring and she could see his hands clenched at his side as his body was as tense as a stretched wire. She could see his eyes smoldering with hatred as it rested on Voldemort. She could practically feel the rage roll off him in waves. She moved closer to him and slid her hand in his surreptiously.

He felt her soft warm hand slide into his and unconsciously relaxed a bit. His shoulders lost some of the tension as he felt her reassuring grip. He reminded himself that he was not there to observe Voldemort but Bellatrix who was seated at his side.

Dumbledore and Severus moved forward closer to where Bellatrix was seated close to Voldemort almost at where his right hand was. Severus knew that the seating always showed the order of Voldemort's favor and on most occasions it was Bellatrix at his side. She often basked in the favor and was almost disgustingly lecherous in the Dark Lord's company.

However he voiced none of this as everyone followed his lead and moved closer to Bellatrix. His eyes locked on the necklace and he looked at Dumbledore to see that he had seen it too. "Is that the necklace Draco?" he asked turning to Draco who had moved to his side and was gazing deeply at the necklace.

Draco nodded and looked up "So what do you think?" he asked. Harry had moved closer to the necklace now and there was rage in his eyes as he looked upon the face of Sirius's killer. Dumbledore laid a hand on Harry's shoulder and said softly "can you sense anything Harry?" he asked.

Harry moved to the necklace as if it beckoned to him and he could feel waves of a dark force emanating from it. He felt the stirring of a pain in his scar and rubbed a hand over it unconsciously. He looked at Dumbledore and nodded mutely. It definitely felt like it was a horcrux.

Everyone's attention had been focused on Harry and no one had deemed it necessary to listen to Voldemort address his gathering, nor had anyone felt it prudent to linger on Severus Snape's visage as he was seated in dress eater garb.

Once Harry had nodded it seemed almost as if it was a cue as the memory vanished and they were surrounded by darkness. "What is happening" Ron asked and Dumbledore answered "we are moving into Draco's memory".

The darkness reformed into a different part of the mansion and they could see Draco poised on the second step of a grand staircase. He stopped as if hearing something and slowly stepped back. He descended and walked silently to an open door at the side of the staircase.

The visitors moved in tandem and stood next to the memory Draco. The door was slightly open and they could see the forms of Bellatrix and Voldemort. Bellatrix was leaning toward Voldemort with a look that could only be described as lust. She leaned forward and spoke seductively "My lord, do you like it?" she asked in a husky voice "I have been wearing it every moment and I have been taking care of it very well" she purred.

The teenagers felt deeply uneasy as they saw Voldemort move and run his fingers over the same necklace that they had seen earlier, lovingly or rather what could be passed off as love in his eyes. "Yes indeed Bella, you have been taking care of it very well and for that you ought to be rewarded" he hissed and moved closer to the heavily made up woman.

Thankfully just as Voldemort placed a hand on Bellatrix's hip and pulled her close the memory ended and the visitors found themselves once more in Dumbledore's office.

"Thank goodness you ended there mate, I don't think I would want to see anymore" Ron called out to Draco. "Tell me about it. Seeing it once was disgusting enough" Draco quipped back as they settled back in their chairs once again.

"I think we could all use a spot of tea now" Dumbledore said and this time everyone nodded and helped themselves to the tea that had appeared on the table. "I think we can safely say that the necklace is indeed a horcrux and we should now formulate a plan to destroy it" he said starting the conversation anew.

"The necklace is definitely a horcrux, it felt the same as the diary" Harry corroborated. "So, what next?" Hermione asked the room at large. "We need to go the manor to retrieve it from her" Draco stated in a somber voice.

Ron turned to Draco with an awed look " _That was your house_?" he asked incredulously. " _Was_ being the operative word, yes Weasley" Draco returned. "No wonder you were an arrogant prat" Ron muttered much to the amusement of everyone.

"So what is the plan of action?" Harry asked. Dumbledore had a pensive look on his face as he said "I am afraid I will have to ask too much of you young people again. Neither Severus nor I can be involved right now for obvious reasons. Draco here can take you into the manor since the wards will recognize him as a Malfoy. However, we have to move fast before Lucius changes the wards settings. Voldemort has plans to break him out of Azkaban and we have to retrieve the horcrux before that happens."

The teenagers exchanged concerned looks at the information as Dumbledore continued outlining a plan "I can call in the other members of the order. They can give you support as you engage Bellatrix in a duel. While her attention is diverted one of you can either destroy the necklace or sever it and bring it back, whichever works in the circumstance".

Harry spoke up "If Voldemort is there he will definitely go after me, I am sure. That leaves one of you to handle Bellatrix. I would suggest Draco to duel Bellatrix and Ron and Hermione to get rid of the necklace. Would that work Sir?" he asked looking at the Professors for vindication.

Snape and Dumbledore nodded slowly, tossing over the scene in their mind. Severus Snape spoke up then "We will also provide a portkey which you _will_ use to get out once the necklace is either in your hands or totally destroyed. I don't want you to dawdle or engage anyone in a fight for even a moment more in a bout of Gryffindor foolishness you understand? You are there to retrieve the necklace and that _only_ ".

"So when do we go Sir?" Draco asked looking at the two Professors. Severus Snape and Dumbledore exchanged a look and Dumbledore answered "As soon as possible Draco. I recommend tomorrow. There is no reason to procrastinate" he said.

The teenagers lapsed into silence as Snape spoke up again "I suggest that you spend the rest of the day brushing up on your dueling and I can possibly teach you some new spells after lunch. Are you amenable to that?" he asked the teenagers.

Draco answered for the rest of them "Yes sir, that is a good idea" he said and hesitated a tad bit before adding "What about the other thing that you mentioned to me yesterday Sir?" he asked looking down at his own feet.

Severus cleared his throat "Yes thank you for bringing that up Draco" he said before saying "there is one more thing that you need to know. You know that I was summoned by the Dark Lord yesterday right?" he asked. The four teenagers nodded and he continued "well the Dark lord asked me to make a potion. It is called the vinculum potion…" he paused before asking "do any of you know what it is?" without expecting any serious response.

It was a dark potion after all and there was no way for them to know. The teenagers shook their head as Draco had done and Hermione asked in a small voice "No Sir, we have not heard of it. What potion is it?" her voice carrying fear as well as curiosity.

"It is a bonding potion, it creates a bond between the drinker and those carrying curse scars created by him" Severus said. " _Oh Merlin_!" Hermione gasped as her fingers flew to her mouth in horror and her eyes became haunted with fear. The implications had hit her immediately "No!No Sir,! is there no way out of this," she begged desperately as Ron burst out with a " ** _what_**?" at the same time.

Harry's eyes had become clouded as his emotions swirled in a mix of fear, anger and acceptance and he closed them as he desperately fought for control. Ron stood up and started pacing as fear for his friend caught up with him "Does this mean that the evil goddamned monster can lay his hands on Harry at any time? What exactly does the bond do anyway?" he asked his voice sounding indignant, angry, fearful and pleading all at the same time.

"Not just Harry Ron..not just Harry" Hermione whispered looking at Draco directly. Draco looked up with what he hoped was a calm countenance and locked eyes with Harry. For the first time there was kinship and he could read the teenager accurately. His eyes were a mirror of all the emotions swirling inside Draco.

Ron sighed "Yes I get it. Curse scars…yes I get it" he repeated and sat down heavily. "There must be some way to get around this, _there has to be_ " he insisted unable to live with the stark reality. "As of now we don't know how the potion is going to be used and how it will impact us but I am hoping you can help us Miss Granger" Severus Snape said.

Dumbledore added in his soft voice and the twinkle had disappeared from his eyes "Miss Granger, you have a particular aptitude for research. I give you permission to use any part of the library to find what you can about the potion. We will have to see if it has a counter and if some antidote can be made. I suggest you start with the restricted section" he said somberly.

"Of course Professor, I will immediately start on it" Hermione said as Ron chipped in "we will help too".

"I suggest that you get on with your practice without wasting any more time. I will join you post lunch to teach you some advanced spells and also to go over the finer points of the attack tomorrow" Severus Snape told the teenagers and turned to Dumbledore "Albus,I will leave you to contact the members of the order now" he said and made his way to the door.

"Yes Severus I will get onto it. I wish all of you luck for tomorrow and Severus I will see you this evening so that I can give you the portkey. It better be by my wand in case Voldemort checks for all intent and purpose" Dumbledore added as the group got up to leave.

By an unspoken agreement the group of teenagers headed to the room of requirement while Severus headed back to his dungeons to start his own preparation for the vinculum potion.

 **Author notes:** I would like to thank everyone who has read, favorited and followed my story. Please feel free to let me know your views on the story and any ideas that you might have. Reviews give me the impetus to update faster so that's the big hint that I can give you! So please read and review…it will take you just a few seconds extra and make my day!


	29. Chapter 29 preparations part 2

**Chapter 28 preparations part 2**

 **Disclaimer:** you have already heard it in the other chapters.

The four teenagers entered the room of requirement to find that it had transformed itself into a perfect duelling set up. The walls and the floor were lined with a thick carpet while the room itself had duelling dummies at random intervals. A bookcase containing books on defence had also sprouted at one corner of the cavernous room. As they took in the room, it almost seemed natural for the others to turn automatically toward Harry for guidance.

Harry also observed the room and made his decision fast. Planning a defence session was alright with him. "First let us test our spells against the dummy one after another. We should concentrate on shielding as well as the offensive spells… _bombarda_ , _reducto_ , _expelliarmus_ , anything not defensive basically. After that I suggest we pair up and duel against each other in teams. We need to know how to work with each other. Does that sound okay?" he asked the group.

They nodded and Draco spoke up "it sounds okay Potter but what about borderline or even dark curses? The other side is not going to be using light spells. They will be aiming to kill" he pointed out in the most serious tone that the others had ever heard the Slytherin use.

"Those curses can be used Draco" Harry affirmed throwing Draco for a loop. "I can?" he asked dubiously "Yeah you can and you probably _should_. As you said, the other side is not going to play fair and I believe this actually evens the score. And Draco, you are welcome to the team officially" Harry said smiling a bit as he looked at Ron to do the same.

Ron looked slightly uncomfortable but extended his hand nevertheless "Yeah _ferret_ , welcome to the hunted by the maniac club". Draco clasped the extended hand and smiled a bit as he retorted " _why_ , thank you _Weasel_ " as he glanced at Hermione. She was beaming and had tears in her eyes.

Harry cleared his throat to bring back the focus "So who wants to go first?" he asked. "You go first Potter and I will go at the last …balance the light and dark what do you say?" Draco quipped. Harry raised an eyebrow "I hope you are not talking about the hair Draco, your order is all mixed up" he joked back as he walked to the dummy in front of him.

For the next hour they practiced throwing their strongest hexes at the dummy and in the bargain each one of them had a fair share of cuts and bruises from the dummy. Hermione had gone in front of Draco and he had had the most intense desire to shield her from the hexes but he knew that she would not appreciate being coddled. It had taken all his self-control to keep quiet as she battled the dummy and he had no idea where all the protective instincts were coming from.

For his part he had gone full out and tried all the borderline dark curses that he had ever come across in his life, including the unforgivables. He felt deeply uneasy using the unforgivables in front of Hermione and he wished that she would not be seeing his worst sides for once but then life had been hardly fair in recent times. He only hoped that she would not start hating him again.

As he cast the dark curses his mood also became steadily dark until he was putting his full power into his curses. He felt the darkness take hold as he wanted to blast and hurt the dummy and not stop until the Dark Lord himself was nothing but ashes. The monster had taken everything from him, _everything_. Soon he was panting from the effort and was so lost in destroying the dummy that he did not even realize that there were others around him watching him with worry.

It was only when he felt someone step close to him and felt a hand on his wrist that he realized where he was. He turned to see Hermione looking at him with a serene expression. No, the dark lord had not taken everything from him; he had in fact given something beautiful back. The words played in his mind. He looked into her beautiful face and felt himself calm down from the adrenalin rush.

He lowered his wand and his shoulders slumped as he took a deep breath. "I am sorry, I let it get the best of me" he apologized softly in tones that would not reach Potter and Weasley.

"It's alright Draco, you needed it" She responded before guiding him to a seat where everyone was already taking a much needed break. He took a deep breath as he sank into the sofa. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to let that happen" he muttered waving his hand to Harry and Ron.

"Nah, it's alright" Harry replied while Ron snorted "that was scary but also effective. You did more damage to the dummy than all of us combined. Look" he pointed. True enough the dummy looked far more decimated than earlier but it did not make Draco feel better. "But none of you used dark spells, I bet that Potter here would not use dark spells even on his deathbed. You are light wizards and I don't know what I am anymore" he spat a trace of self loathing and venom entering his voice.

Harry interlaced his fingers and regarded Draco "Draco if it makes you feel better to know, I pretty much did the same thing you did. I trashed Dumbledore's office and tried to use the cruciatus on Bellatrix. Does that make me a dark wizard?" he asked looking at his friends. They had known something had happened but not exactly what. Now they turned to him with astonishment.

" _What? When_? They both cried out. "I hadn't planned on telling you like this but when Bellatrix killed Sirius all I wanted to do was cause her pain. It was the same night that I heard the prophecy and trashed Dumbledore's office." He explained looking a tad sheepish. Hermione moved forward and caught Harry in a hug " _Oh Harry_! I am so sorry" she said. Ron kept silent digesting the information as Harry asked Draco again "So Draco, does that make me a dark wizard?".

Draco contemplated the answer "Yes and no I guess. Yes you used an unforgiveable and that is technically bad but considering that you had lost someone close to you and faced immense hardships I guess it can be forgiven" he reasoned.

Harry spread out his hands with a smile "You have answered your own dilemma Draco. We will not judge you for this. Sirius once told me that there is some light and dark in all of us. I believe that. It is what you decide to act on that will define you".

Ron suddenly snorted "Oi! I don't need my best mate turning into another Hermione. One is bad enough" he said with a laugh. Hermione glared at him as the rest of them laughed and the atmosphere felt immediately lighter.

Hermione however went one step closer to what was gnawing at Draco "Draco please don't feel bad. We don't think any less of you. We need you and everything that comes with _being_ you. We can't fight this war with just our perspectives alone. Can't you see, you are the opposite of what we are, you are the mirror to our actions, and you will tilt the balance in our favor? I can feel that. Just wait and see" she said with utter conviction.

Draco sighed "Okay now that the counselling session is over I can definitely say that I am starving. Why don't we get some food and wait for Professor Snape to start with his advanced spells"? he asked. Ron immediately responded "Now you are talking my language Draco" he said with a smirk as Hermione hit him playfully. "Food here we come" he declared and then paused as a thought hit him. "What about our team duels though?" he asked.

Harry intervened with "we will not have time to do the session after the Professor comes. I suggest we do a quick session now. Alright?" he asked. The others agreed and took up positions. First they had a session of Harry and Ron versus Draco and Hermione.

The teams then swapped as Draco teamed with Ron while Harry went with Hermione. Although the first teaming worked well they were pleasantly surprised to see that Ron's unorthodox style of mixing offensive and defensive spells worked very well with Draco's mix of light and not so light hexes.

After some time of rigorous duelling they stopped to acknowledge that this time they were really ready for food. Ron floppd down dramatically on the sofa as though he was weak while saying "I say again, food here we come and this time we better get to it" he grinned.

"Wait, are you going to go to the Great Hall for food?" Draco asked. "Yeah that's what we thought, do you want to join us? Harry answered while asking a question of his own. "Dumbledore has not yet announced my presence officially; I don't think we need to create a furore right now. I know that a lot of students saw me in the hospital wing the other day but still, we have enough problems without looking for more. Why don't we just ask one of the elves to bring us some food here? And besides I am sure that Severus will come right here looking for us" Draco explained.

"You can't hide forever Draco but just this once it's alright. I will call Dobby to bring us some food" Harry declared and proceeded to do the needful. Once they had run through the elf supplied food they waited for the Professor to show up. It was not long before the door opened to admit Severus Snape. They quickly gave him a rundown of what they had practiced and waited for his input.

He took them through the usual gamut of curses and hexes before getting onto some advanced ones. He taught them _protego maximus_ with a different wand movement that would fortify the shield to almost four times the original strength. He then taught them a new spell that was a twist on the protection spells, the ' _Protego sui'_ that will encase the caster in a protective sheath.

However the duration the sheath stayed on depended on the strength of the spell and it was not much surprise that Harry managed to hold the spell the longest followed by Hermione, Draco and then Ron.

After much deliberation he also taught them some powerful offensive spells which will be needed to counter dark magic. After almost an hour of intense spell casting after which the dummies looked rather the worse for wear, they adjourned for a break.

They sat on the sofa each nursing a glass of pumpkin juice that had appeared. Severus addressed the group "regarding tomorrow Draco, are you planning on entering from the dungeons?" he asked. Draco nodded "Yes that is the obvious way especially if I have to do it twice, once for us and once for the order members" he said.

Severus nodded thoughtfully "yes I suggest that Potter, Granger and Weasley proceed immediately as soon as you enter. Draco will go back up and bring in the order members. They will act as your back up. Draco why don't you draw a map of the layout of the mansion so that you can get to Bellatrix faster and hopefully without meeting too many wandering death eaters on the way?" he suggested.

"I can do that now" Draco said and proceeded to draw a map of the Manor with red lines underlining the route from the dungeons to the hall where hopefully Bellatrix would be. Everyone looked at the map dutifully and familiarized themselves with the layout of the Manor.

Severus turned to Harry "Potter, I know that you have a link to the Dark Lord that gives you visions. Have you ever tried doing the reverse?" he asked much to the shock of everyone.

" _What_? _NO!_ I don't want to willingly see what he is up to, so no" Harry replied. Severus exhaled "Potter I am sorry for what I have to ask of you but in this instance it will be beneficial to know what the Dark Lord is up to. It will be extremely useful if for instance, we come to know whether he is going to be there or not tomorrow" he explained much to the chagrin of the teenagers.

Harry fell silent mulling over the circumstance. _It was a risk, would_ _Voldemort sense him?_ , he questioned in his mind, _assuming that he_ _could even_ establish a link he thought dryly. And with his record in occlumency he prayed that Voldemort would not twist the situation to his advantage. But at the same time he could not deny that it _would_ be a tremendous advantage to know what Voldemort was up to. He closed his eyes and made his decision.

"Okay I will do it. What should I do?" he asked the Potions Professor. "Close your eyes and concentrate on your scar. Look for a link leading away from you. The rest will happen on its own" Severus replied.

Harry nodded and closed his eyes. Everyone maintained absolute silence as Harry tried to establish a link. At first he sat unmoving as if in a trance and no one could judge as to what was going on. A few minutes later however his eyeballs moved behind the closed eyelids and his hands were clenched at his sides. The group didn't dare intervene and waited for Harry to come back to his senses.

After a few minutes Harry opened his eyes and waited to become oriented to the room again. He took a deep breath and regarded the group who were looking at him with worry and curiosity. "Professor you were right. I did establish the connection and I have information. Voldemort will not be there tomorrow. He is taking Avery and Rookwood to Azkaban. He is breaking out Lucius Malfoy" he declared looking directly at Draco.

Draco closed his eyes as panic rose within him. _No! Not so soon_! He thought as he slowly opened his eyes to see the worried gazes turned towards him now. "What about Bellatrix? If she goes with him then our whole plan is for nought" he said desperately turning the conversation away from Lucius Malfoy. He could not afford to think about that now.

"No Draco, _that_ is the best part. He is leaving Bellatrix in charge of the Manor" Harry declared triumphantly. Severus got up as a rush of adrenalin went through the group "That is the first good news we have had in a long time Potter" he commented drily before turning serious and asking " Did the Dark Lord sense you in his mind?"

Harry thought for a minute before slowly shaking his head "No, I do not think so. At least there was no obvious indication of it. Why, do you think he is leading me on?" he asked fearful of the answer.

"No I do not think so. He would not have expected such a manoeuvre from us. I simply wanted the reassurance. That is all" Severus replied.

"Anyway it is time to get your portkeys from the headmaster. We will collect it from his office. Follow me" he added as he stood up and motioned for others to do the same. They all piled after the Professor and made their way to Dumbledore's office where they found the headmaster waiting for them.

Without further ado the headmaster summoned four chains with lockets on them as soon as everyone was seated. "The lockets have been charmed to act as portkeys. If each of you will wear it and wrap your hands around it I will charm it to respond at your touch. All you need is to wrap your hands around the portkey and it will bring you to the infirmary".

"Severus or I will be there to receive you. There is no activation word. But remember, that the portkey can break through the wards only once. I anticipate that anti apparition wards will go up once the battle ensues so be on your guard. If all goes well Draco should be able to apparate you out of the wards but god forbid, if by some misfortune he is not in a position to do so, do _not_ hesitate to use the portkey. I repeat, _do not_ linger, once the necklace is in your hand, get back here at once" he reiterated.

Everyone moved forward to take their chain and locket. Hermione examined the locket and saw that it was a small round coin with runes carved on the surface. She wrapped her hand around and waited for Dumbledore to charm it so that it will be made specific to her hand.

Dumbledore walked around the teenagers and charmed the lockets one by one. When he came to Draco, he paused noting the chain with the lily locket around his neck but refrained from commenting as he proceeded to charm his locket as well. Draco had almost forgotten about the locket and vowed to return it to Severus at the earliest as it's use as a portkey had been exhausted.

Once the charm was in place, Dumbledore addressed the group once again "I wish you luck in your endeavour such that you may return to us whole and unharmed. Keep safe and keep each other safe" he wished.

"Thank you Sir" the group responded as Severus added "Assemble here at 11 tomorrow morning and I will floo you out to the apparition point. From there on you are on your own I am afraid. Now I suggest that you have a spot of dinner and return to your dorms. Potter be sure to clear your mind and have a good night. After your foray into the Dark Lord's mind you will need it. I will see you tomorrow Albus" he bade the headmaster as he stood up to leave.

The others nodded and bade their goodbyes as well as the trio made their way to the Great Hall and Draco followed Severus to their quarters.

 **Author notes** : I am thankful to each one of you have read, favorited or is following my story. Please take this as a personal thanks to each one of you. If I get to hear from you, especially those who have been with me from the beginning of this journey I will consider myself please a review!

On another note I hope I am doing justice to your expectations and I am leaving you now with the question. In the next chapter where our foursome goes to the manor will they have another victory in store for them or will they get to face their first setback? Stay tuned and ciao.


	30. Chapter 30 Malfoy Manor part 1

**Chapter 29 Malfoy manor part 1**

 **Legal disclaimer:** You know the drill by now!

Warning for mild language.

The morning found all four teenagers gathered in the headmaster's office where a tense Severus hovered over them. "Do all of you have your portkeys? Granger do you have the fang?" he asked in a clipped voice that belied his worry. Everyone nodded and Draco laid his hand on Snape's shoulder "Severus, it will be okay. We will be back soon" he said softly.

Severus nodded absent mindedly before turning to Dumbledore "I will escort them to the apparition point now Albus" he said. Dumbledore nodded and addressed the teenagers "May God go with you. We look forward to having you all back soon and safe. Thank you for doing what we cannot" he said heavily, regret lacing his features.

The teenagers followed Severus into the floo to reach the apparition point. There Severus turned to Draco and clasped him lightly "May Merlin help you. Don't take unnecessary chances. I will be waiting in the infirmary" he said. Draco stepped forward and held Hermione's hand whom in turn held onto Harry who was holding onto Ron. Without further ado Draco turned at the spot keeping the Manor firmly in mind.

Once the feeling of apparition settled they realized that they had landed just outside the gardens of a large Manor. "This is the back side and the entrance to the dungeons opens here" Draco said in a low voice "keep close to me and when we hit the wards enter at the same time as me. Got it?" he instructed.

The others swallowed nervously and followed Draco. A few feet ahead they were met with what felt like a barrier. Draco nodded to the others signalling that this was the ward and they immediately fell into line beside him. Hermione held his hand and linked her other hand to Ron. Harry completed the chain and nodded to Draco to indicate their readiness. "On count of three, step forward with me" he said and counted "One …two.. Three" and everyone stepped forward at the same time as instructed.

Draco heaved a sigh of relief; thank goodness the wards had not been changed as yet, otherwise they would have been fried to a crisp by now. He made his way swiftly to the back door leading to the dungeons. The others followed him as he opened the door and made his way down a flight of stairs.

He then moved along a corridor lined with holding cells on their right hand side. He cringed, as his thoughts went to Hermione and what she would think of where he came from. "Bloody hell! _You actually have_ _cells in the dungeon_?" Ron whispered incredulously mirroring Draco's thoughts.

Draco didn't bother to answer and instead kept moving to the end of the corridor at a fast clip. At the end of the corridor they came to another flight of stairs going up. "Okay listen, this staircase will lead you to the corridor that leads to the drawing room. You know where the drawing room is, head there. I will have to go back for the order members .Be careful" he warned.

"You too" Hermione whispered as she started up the staircase behind Harry. Draco nodded and turned around moving fast to get back to the wards. His ears were tuned unconsciously to sounds from the landing above and his heart beat an unsteady rhythm as he rushed. Once outside, he moved to the ward line to see Lupin, Tonks , Shacklebolt, Moody and a couple of others whom he did not recognize materialize in front of him just as he approached.

He swiftly crossed the line and repeated the same procedure as earlier. There were no dialogues exchanged as the order members followed Draco as he rushed, even more frantically now that he knew that the others were inside the manor.

As he approached the ascending staircase he heard the sounds of a raging duel and his heart sped up even more. He made a last minute decision to disillusion himself, for whatever little advantage that would give him as he made his way up. He ran the length of the corridor before he skidded to a stop in front of the duel.

He did not have eyes for anyone except for Hermione as she stood battling the stupid Alecto Carrow. Weasley he noticed at a glance was engaged in a duel with Wormtail and was hardly holding his own. From the corner of his eyes he saw Lupin rush to aid Weasley. Harry as expected was engaged in a mad battle with Bellatrix.

Draco looked Bellatrix over and saw that she was wearing the necklace and he breathed a sigh of relief. At least, it would not be for nothing. He was torn between stepping forward to sever the necklace from her neck or to help Hermione. His decision was however made for him as he saw Amycus Carrow rush to help his sister.

Draco noticed that Hermione had covered herself with _Protego Sui_! But her light spells were not going to be enough. _Not for these two_ he thought. He moved in to Hermione's side and raised his own wand and quickly sent a couple of blasting spells their way.

But that also meant that his cover was blown and soon he found himself defending himself from the hexes coming _his_ way. The disillusion had long since worn off and everyone was now aware of where he was. Dimly he was aware of some order members moving to assist Harry but he had no time to notice more.

He snuck a glance at Hermione who was battling with calm efficiency although her eyes glittered with suppressed rage. Her hair was flying in all directions and her cheeks were flushed and he could not help thinking that she looked like the avenging angel herself.

But his distraction cost him, as a cutting curse grazed his arm bringing him back to the battle. Knowing that more time spent would be a recipe for disaster he raised his wand and bellowed "s _ectumsempra_!" bringing down Alecto Carrow. He quickly spelled an " _incarcerous_ " to make sure that there would be no more trouble from the vicious witch.

By this time Amycus who had seen his sister go down turned to him with a wild yell "You little traitor! You won't leave here alive… _crucio_!" he yelled. Draco quickly dodged the unforgiveable but found himself at the receiving end of a stream of curses. Draco shielded himself with a _protego maximus_ and returned his own curses " _bombarda maximus! reducto! incarcerous_! _impedimenta_ he tried in succession but nothing broke through the death eater's shield.

Hermione stepped in with her own hexes as Draco thought of a way …this was not the time to play nice his mind reminded him. Steeling himself he decided that it was time to end the duel when he saw the _cruciatus_ hit Hermione. He saw her fall down and start writhing in agony. Her voice was coming out in a scream of agonizing pain.

All thought left his mind as his body took over. He threw himself over her and felt the familiar pain wash over him. He gritted his teeth and tried his level best to shield Hermione from the curse as best as he could. He rolled over her and his back arched as the pain ate at his insides. His eyes closed tightly and his hands were clenched in a tight grip as if to will the pain away.

The small reprieve had however given Hermione the strength to recover her wits and now she wriggled out from under Draco with mad determination. She was furious and when she aimed her wand at Amycus and yelled " _stupefy_ " it carried all her fury with it. The curse slammed into the death eater with deadly accuracy and he was felled in one single swoop. She quickly followed with an _incarcerous_! and made sure that he was all trussed up for the members of the order.

She then turned to Draco with concern in her eyes "Draco are you alright?" she asked as she helped him recover from the now broken cruciatus. Draco took a deep breath and nodded as got to his feet "let us help Potter. Let us just get the damn necklace and get out" he said.

As he moved to help Harry he noticed that the order members had helped to take down Wormtail and had now bound him in ropes. However it appeared that the other death eaters had also come into the fray and the order members were holding off attack on all sides.

Ron and Lupin were battling Nott and Moody was holding off McNair. _Damn_! It had all gone to hell in a hand basket he thought. There were as many death eaters as order members and more than equally matched in terms of skill.

His observation was however cut short as he felt more than saw the purple light travel toward him and instinctively pushed Hermione away from him as he himself dove to the left. The light passed by his side hot and fierce and he realized that Dolohov had come into the fight as well. This was his signature curse that would have incapacitated him had it found it's target.

More curses started coming his way from Dolohov and he cursed fluently as they were preventing him from reaching Potter and Bellatrix. He cast the _protego sui_ on himself and moved toward Harry while all the time parrying the hexes coming his way. He tried to make short work of Dolohov but the death eater was a powerful wizard in his own right. Draco heard the mad cackle and the words behind the cackle " _little Malfoy thinks he is powerful! haha_!."

The words had no impact however as his mind was focused on the need to get to Potter soon. He was aware of Hermione come to stand by his side and it was as if they had done this a million times before.

The rhythm fell into place as they fought together, alternating the defensive and offensive spells until finally as Hermione shielded Draco, he raised his wand and yelled _organum aruspices!_ .The power of the spell broke through the other wizard's shield and he saw the death eater fall in slow motion.

Draco however did not stop to check the results. He took Hermione's hand and cut his way swiftly to Harry's side.

Finally he had Harry within his sights. Harry and Bellatrix were engaged in a deadly duel as she was aiming to kill. The curses flew thick and fast and carried so much power that the air had the smell of burning sulphur. He heard Hermione gasp; this was probably the first time that she was actually on the scene where Harry was actively duelling an enemy. For the first time they saw Potter casting at full power and it was an impressive sight indeed.

They moved to Harry's side and added their own arsenal of hexes and curses to Harry's. But the demented witch seemed to be extremely powerful and she was swiping aside their combined assault with ease. Potter was having a tough time just holding his own and had not been able to make any inroads into her defence.

The situation was not favorable and they hardly had any time. The longer they were there, the more the chances of the whole plan collapsing. Draco wracked his brains for an idea and came up with the one thing that might remotely work. He hissed at Potter and said "Keep her distracted will you; I will try to get to the necklace from behind." "It might be our only chance" he added to himself but did not voice it out loud.

Harry nodded to show that he understood and increased his attack with renewed vigour. Hermione glanced at Draco to see him whisper something at Harry and wondered what the new plan was. But she dared not move from Harry's side. She had now fallen into the practiced moves of offense and defense with Harry and they desperately tried to break Bellatrix's shield.

But the death eater seemed to be insanely powerful as she parried their curses and lashed out with her own. Harry saw Draco move away from them and slowly move in a semi circle towards Bellatrix and made his own move. He started inching away from Hermione and hoped that Hermione would make the connection. Hermione saw the maneuver and it clicked in her mind. Of course! It seemed the logical thing to surround Bellatrix and attack from different angles.

Accordingly she started moving in the opposite direction to Draco and soon the three of them moved towards Bellatrix in tandem from different angles. Bellatrix however recognized the gambit for what it was and she roared in fury. She swiped her wand in a circle as she lashed out in fury and a great circle of fire erupted, pushing the teens back.

Draco felt the heat from the fire hit him in the face and he rapidly stepped back. He heard Potter and Hermione cast a quick _aguamenti_ but it was not enough to counter the heat of the fire. Draco added his _glacio!_ to the _aguamenti_ in a desperate measure to counter the blistering fire. The fire had effectively pushed them back many paces and Draco could not move forward until the fire had receded.

He looked at Potter pleading with him to do something so that Draco could inch in close to Bellatrix. Dimly he wondered where the rest of the order was …hell he would take even Weasley right now! Fortunately Potter caught the look and for the first time he heard Potter utter unforgiveables. _Crucio! Imperio!_ Potter tried desperately but nothing was breaking through. Draco was beginning to think that the cursed horcrux was protecting her when he felt someone move to his side.

He turned to see that it was Ron who immediately started casting his own curses at the witch. Bellatrix realized that she was getting outnumbered and cast a four shield protego around herself mimicking what the teenagers had done.

She then looked at them with utter malice and a triumphant smile as she moved her right hand to her left forearm. With a mad cackle _"itty bitty Potter and the blood traitor will now be fodder for my lord!"_ she hissed as she pressed her hand to the dark mark.

 _NOOOOOO!_ Draco shouted as he lunged forward. A deep fear took hold of him as he turned to Potter to see the same panic on his face. For the first time Draco wondered if this was a good time to get out while they still could.

 **Author notes** : As always thank you for the encouragement. I have responded to each of the reviews but have no idea if it actually reached your inbox. So do let me know if my responses did reach you. And please do let me know your thoughts on my writing. Thanks again! Stay tuned! One of these days I am going to sit and list out each one of you are out there following my story and write out a big thanks. merci!


	31. Chapter 31 Malfoy Manor part 2

**Chapter 30 Malfoy Manor part 2**

 **Legal disclaimer** : Harry Potter and all associated characters are not mine.

"Hermione be ready" Draco shouted as he lunged forward desperately. From the corner of his eye he saw Potter fall to his knees clutching his infamous scar. "Draco, get out. He is COMING…get out all of you…Now" Harry shouted with a hint of desperation colouring his words.

But they could not move. They felt as if their feet were stuck to the ground. They could not go _now_ …not after coming _this_ far. Draco ignored Harry and looked at Hermione "cover me" he mouthed and as Hermione started firing hexes at Bellatrix along with Ron, Draco moved through the fire rapidly. He felt the flames reach out and lick his skin. The heat was all consuming as he moved through it and found himself in front of Bellatrix all of a sudden.

Without hesitation, he moved to her back and with a sudden and swift yank pulled the necklace from her neck. He did not have even a moment to look at the necklace when there was a sudden _whoosh_! Of air and he felt himself being propelled away from Bellatrix.

Looking around for the source of the push he saw that the air in the room was swirling around the room like a tornado. The temperature of the room had risen and was sweltering as the heat mixed with the rising air and made the room pretty much like a furnace.

Hermione and Ron had been thrown by the blast as well but Potter had managed to regain his footing and he stood with his wand drawn. Seeing where the wand was pointed, Draco came upon the one person that he never wanted to see especially when Hermione was around.

"Surprised to see me Tom Riddle? You never learn from your lessons do you?" Harry called out. Draco immediately recognized Harry's attempt to draw attention away from the others and quietly moved to Hermione's side. Hermione had got to her feet but had backed off paralysed with fear for her friend.

Draco swiftly pressed the necklace in her hand and in one swift motion took her other hand to her portkey. He barely had time to note her startled expression as she was whisked away. A minute more and he knew that she would not have left the scene where her friends were. But at least now she was safe and the necklace would be destroyed. That was more important considering the circumstances.

" _How dare you use that name? It seems that you need to be taught how to address your elders and your lesson begins now"_ Voldemort hissed stressing on the words. His red eyes flashed and he brandished his wand but he was unexpectedly interrupted as Bellatrix suddenly spoke up. "My Lord, they have taken the necklace" she said her eyes filled with fear and trepidation.

Voldemort stilled for a moment before turning to Harry with uncontrolled rage "You will pay for this foolish boy... You will definitely pay for meddling with matters you do not understand" he yelled as he followed with a furious _"crucio"._

Draco saw the flash of light head towards Potter and hit his shield with a resounding thwang. The sound resonated in the hall where everyone had halted to see the showdown. Infuriated with the failure to hurt Harry, Voldemort started unleashing a barrage of spells. Harry returned the spells with equal fervour and soon both wands and masters were being stretched to their limit.

As everyone stood watching the duel Draco took the chance to run to Ron's side. "Weasley get to Hermione and destroy the horcrux _now_ " he whispered. "I can't leave Harry" Ron returned in an equally tense whisper and Draco let out a frustrated grunt. " _Now is not the time please just_ , GO. You need to get out. I will stay with Potter. _Please_ " he gritted his teeth.

Ron hesitated just for a second as he made his decision and reluctantly closed his hands around the pendant. Draco breathed a sigh of relief as Ron was whisked away by the portkey. Now it was just him and Harry.

He ran to Harry's side unmindful of the other death eaters and started unleashing his spells alongside Harry. The curses ran thick and fast and he staggered as a bolt of light grazed his shoulder sending a spear of agony racing down his arm. He however had no time to stop and look at the wound as he raised his wand and continued the battle.

Voldemort looked unflappable and he seemed to be handling both of their curses with ease. Damn! the man seemed almost invincible. Draco desperately wished for divine intervention as it seemed that they would definitely need it. Struggling to hold his own he had no time to even have a word with Harry who was now moving a fair deal in an attempt to not be a stationary target.

He took a closer look at Potter and saw that the chosen one had an impressive collection of wounds himself and was now weaving in and out of spells targeted to decimate him. Draco could see the sheen of sweat on his face and the effort on both the wizards was beginning to show. Both of them were grunting with the effort and wringing out every bit of power from their wands.

Draco continued adding more dark curses to the mix but could not land a hit on the evil wizard. However even as he kept his focus on the duel, looking for the right opportunity he suddenly saw them stagger.

It was as though time itself stood still. No one understood what had happened but whatever had happened a minute earlier served to make Voldemort even more enraged as he turned on Harry with a roar of rage and power.

Draco had no time to even smile as he realized that the horcrux must have been destroyed or rather he hoped that it had been. He also realized that this would be the moment where he could gain an advantage and got ready to cast a dark curse but before he could even bring his wand to bear, a flash of light had left the evil wizard's wand.

The air cackled with the power and both Draco and Harry were thrown by the blast of the spell. Draco tried to get to his feet but his vision was blurry and his ears were ringing loudly making him feel dizzy and disoriented. _Too late_ , _too slow_ he berated himself as he saw Harry and him being surrounded by the death eaters. A few of the order members were lying unconscious in the periphery of his vision while the rest had portkeyed away.

Draco felt a deep coil of fear and his hand twitched towards the portkey hanging on his neck but a deeper part of him resisted the move. His Slytherin side was urging him to leave right away but then the part of him that had tasted Gryffindor friendship would not allow him to. He could not leave Harry to the wolves, especially after the promise he had made to Ron.

If only he could signal Harry and make a hasty exit together but Harry had been thrown a fair distance away from him and now lay unmoving. _Shit!_ He thought, there was really no other word for it. They were indeed in deep trouble and Draco desperately hoped that Potter could draw upon the dumb luck that had helped him escape the Dark Lord earlier.

"What are you standing there for? Remove their wands and restrain them" he heard the Dark Lord bark out the orders. Draco had to move fast _right now_ if they were to have any kind of a chance at all. The only option was for him to operate the portkey but he had already made his choice to stand by Harry's side. So essentially he was screwed but damn if he was going to make it easy for these evil nitwits to take him down.

Decision made, he got to his feet, swaying a bit but with his wand steady in his hand. _Organum aruspices_! He shouted turning towards the death eaters and quickly followed by _causam_ _cruentamque!_ He saw a couple of death eaters go down with the dark curses. But he did not stop to see the results. Turning in an arc, he kept firing rapid curses _bombarda! reducto! tarantellagra! impedimenta! Sectumsempra!_ one after the other _._ He did not dare stop because the minute he paused he would be taken down and that is something he wanted to avoid at all costs.

Seeing his death eaters being handled by the wisp of a boy Voldemort stepped forward to face Draco himself. "Draco, it appears that it is time to meet your maker" he hissed and a smile crossed his face as he cast his favorite " _crucio_ ". Draco saw the curse fly at him and raised his wand to shield himself when suddenly Harry leapt to his feet.

His eyes were blazing and he screamed " _sectumsempra_!" taking everyone by surprise. Voldemort moved with inhuman speed and batted away the curse effortlessly even as he retaliated with his own dark curse. The curse slammed into Harry bringing him to his knees. Pressing his advantage, Voldemort followed it up with the cruciatus bringing Harry further down. Harry's breaths were now harsh spurts and his hands and eyes were clenched tight in an effort to ride out the agonizing pain.

Draco stood transfixed for a moment before shifting his wand to Voldemort as he tried to distract him from torturing Harry. But no sooner had he cast his first curse than the other death eaters who had been restrained by Voldemort all this while got ready to step in. Draco gulped. This was bad! he thought and he braced himself for more curses but he was saved from further action as he heard Harry shout " ** _NOW_** Draco".

Harry's voice was hoarse with suppressed pain but Draco wasted no time in clasping his hand around his portkey even as he saw Harry do the same. They were swept away in a whirl of colors as they heard Voldemort's shout of rage. They landed in a thud on the floor of the hospital wing as the portkey did it's job.

Draco curled in on himself and tried to catch his breath that had been knocked out of him and he was aware of Harry sprawled alongside him. Almost immediately he felt the patter of footsteps and he looked up into the concerned faces of Severus Snape, Dumbledore, Ron and Hermione.

Hermione knelt next to him as he hoisted himself to his feet. He swayed a bit but the firm hand of his godfather helped him stand on two steady feet. Harry on the other hand was not so steady. He was unconscious and was now being levitated onto the hospital bed by Albus Dumbledore. Draco himself was pushed forward until he was seated on a bed. He however could not resist asking the burning question in his mind. He turned to Hermione "So the necklace?" he asked dreading the answer. After all _this_ , he would be very upset if it was not a horcrux at all.

Hermione caught the question in his tone and smiled reassuringly. She took his hand "we got it Draco. We destroyed the horcrux" she said her eyes gleaming with the victory. "Thank goodness it was not for nothing" he breathed before looking at Harry on the next bed. "He was under the cruciatus before we portkeyed away…you should know that" he said looking at Poppy Pomfrey who had come in.

"What about you? Where are you injured?" Severus Snape stepped in as Poppy Pomfrey bustled in with her medical kit. Draco shook his head "I can wait" he said looking at Madam Pomfrey "please attend to him first. He was the one duelling the Dark Lord. He was also hit with a curse before being subjected to the cruciatus" he reiterated.

Poppy looked worried and seemed undecided between the two patients but then her face cleared with a decision. She turned to Severus Snape and said "Severus kindly do a diagnostic scan on Draco here while I attend to Harry. I will take just a few minutes" she smirked glancing at Draco.

Draco sighed in resignation as Severus Snape waved his wand over him at the same time that Poppy Pomfrey did the same with Harry. Severus noted the grazes from the cutting curses on his godson's shoulder and arm and gestured for him to remove his robes and shirt.

Draco hesitated a moment and then complied while sneaking a glance at Hermione. A slight blush colored her cheeks at his shirtless avatar which he made a note of but refrained from making it obvious. Soon however his wounds were cleaned and bandaged with a swish of Severus's wand and he lay back against the pillows, as exhaustion hit him for the first time.

Hermione in the meantime had wandered over to Harry's bed and was holding the unconscious teen's hand while Ron hovered over the other side. Both of them had tense looks and for a flash of an instant Draco felt incredibly jealous of the bond between them but the feeling soon passed. Draco himself was worried about the teen as he had come to regard him as something of a friend which was a daunting thought but was becoming truer by the day nevertheless.

Draco saw the matron treat the injuries and administer the potions with Hermione's help. But the troubled look on her face did not vanish as she looked at Severus Snape "Severus, Albus he seems to have been hit with a dark curse. I will need your assistance in repelling it" she stated quietly.

The senior wizards immediately assumed position by Harry's side and began incanting a string of latin words that Draco could not hear clearly. After a few tense moments both wizards lowered their wands as Severus quipped dryly "it seems that we are not to be rid of Potter's presence in the near future after all". Poppy Pomfrey however had a smile on her face as the danger was passed and she moved to Draco's side. She cast her own diagnosis scan double checking what Severus Snape had treated and seemed to be satisfied with the results.

She then handed him a purple potion vial and patted him on the shoulder. "Go to sleep now young man. In fact all of you have been treated for various injuries and should rest. All discussions can be had in the morning. You can go to your dorms for the night and probably come in the morning with a change of clothes for Harry and Draco. Now the both of you get going" she shooed Ron and Hermione.

Hermione turned and gave a smile at Draco as Ron acknowledged with a nod in his direction before exiting the hospital wing. Yes all discussion could wait Draco thought and for the first time in a long time he felt a ray of faint hope. They had actually faced down the devil himself and survived to tell the tale. Maybe just _maybe they_ could pull this off.

Please read and review! It would take just a couple of seconds and will help to make this more reader friendly!


	32. Chapter 32 yet another dilemma

**Chapter 32**

 **Yet another dilemma**

The next day morning Hermione and Ron found themselves walking to the hospital wing clutching a bag containing Harry's clothes. Their thoughts went to the previous day. Both of them had been terrified when Draco and Harry had remained duelling Voldemort.

It had been the first time that the both of them had seen Voldemort in the flesh and she shuddered at the memory. She could not honestly understand how Draco and Harry could stand to be in the evil presence and come out unscathed.

"I hope Harry is really ok" Ron worried as Hermione sought to reassure "He should be alright Ron, the Professors took care of the curse. Perhaps both of them will be discharged today" she said optimistically. Ron grimaced at the mention of Draco before asking "what is going on between you and the ferret Mione?" bluntly and with barely concealed anger.

Hermione looked away guiltily as she hastily replied "Nothing Ron, there is nothing between us, we are just friends". Ron gave her a disbelieving look and snorted "nice try Mione. He took a cruciatus for you, believe me that is not nothing. He is a true blue Slytherin he would not do something like that lightly" he pressed.

Hermione sighed "I don't know why he did that Ron and we don't have anything between us. I mean we are not dating or anything like that, but we _are_ friends" she said weakly. Ron gave her a grim smile "Just friends huh? Hmm…are you sure that you would not like it to be something more Mione?" he asked snidely in a rare burst of insight.

Hermione gave him a startled look feeling flustered. She really did not know what to say and fell silent, very aware of the blush that had climbed on her cheeks. Ron gave a chuckle picking up on her silence "seriously Mione? _Malfoyy_?" he teased taking in her flustered blushing countenance. Hermione remained silent for a moment before asking tentatively "Would you be mad if we did become more than friends?" .

Ron fell silent contemplating his emotions. "Well the git is not as bad as he used to be I suppose" he said grudgingly. "As long as you don't get hurt I will not interfere. But if he hurts you, don't expect me to hold back, Merlin himself might not be able to help him" he said grimly.

Hermione nodded relieved "Now there is the Weasley we all know and love. You are the best friend anyone can ask for! Thanks Ron" she said embracing him in a hug knowing that even though Ron might vent some with Draco, he would not seriously hurt him.

After a few moments she released him as a thought occurred to her "but I am so sorry. I know that you had hoped that we would be.. you know"… she trailed off uncertainly as she waited for a response from Ron. But when he remained silent she felt even more unbalanced and she sought to say something to reduce the awkwardness of the moment.

"But then again it is all so uncertain isn't it?" She asked. "I don't even know if he feels the same way" she said uncomfortable with the idea of discussing the subject with Ron when she herself was not sure where everything led. Ron had a faint smile on hearing her words "Oh! He feels something alright". Hermione stared at him "how would you know?" She asked faintly.

Ron smirked "let's just say it's a guy thing" he said and volunteered no more information but added "And by the way who's to say it will work out huh? Maybe it won't" he smirked as Hermione smiled and gave him a playful shove thankful that the seriousness of the moment had dissipated.

Walking in companionable silence they arrived at the hospital wing and made their way quickly to the beds where Harry and Draco were sitting up on parallel beds. By an unspoken agreement and more out of habit they ventured to Harry's side first "How are you mate?" Ron enquired. Harry grinned "I am fine Ron. What about you guys? Are you guys okay? You need to fill me in on what happened" he said in a rush.

"Glad to see that you are alright Harry. You had us worried" Hermione said and engulfed Harry in a tight hug. Harry hugged her back and set her back down gently, his face turning somber. "Are _you_ alright? Really?" he asked softly and Hermione was touched at the concern shining in his emerald eyes. "We were not the ones duelling Voldemort you know" she retorted severely glancing at Draco, but softened as she added "but we are alright".

A look of guilt however flashed across Harry's face "I am sorry for dragging you into this mess. Your lives would not be in danger if you were not associated with me" he murmured.

Ron snorted "you got that wrong mate. We told you before mate and we say it again. Our family is the biggest blood traitor family in the wizarding world and we would be at risk with or without you. Being with you we might actually do something about it" he said reiterating their earlier conversations.

Hermione nodded sagely as she added "the same goes for me Harry considering that I am a muggleborn". Harry exhaled noisily as he looked at Ron "when did you get so wise?" he asked as Ron just shrugged and said "Perhaps having a late breakfast does this to me" in reply and held out the change of clothes that they had carried for Harry. Harry laughed and reached forward to take the clothes glancing at Hermione's smiling face in shared laughter.

Draco for his part smiled when Hermione's glance caught his and pretended that he was not eavesdropping on the conversation. But he did not have to do it for long as Hermione walked to his side and took his hand in hers even as Ron made a gagging motion. "eww , do you _have_ to do this Mione?" he asked as Hermione glared at him and turned to Draco "how are you doing?" she asked softly.

Draco looked around self-consciously and colored a little as he replied "I am fine" in a soft voice. "Are you okay? No after effects of the cruciatus right?" he asked, his grey eyes glinting with concern. Hermione shook her head as Harry stiffened " _what_?" he burst out "you were under the cruciatus?" he bit out his voice reflecting the fury in his eyes.

Hermione however huffed and hit Draco on the arm as she said "Harry, it was only for a few seconds, the hero here stepped in" she said with a smile in her tone as her eyes held Draco's with a soft expression. Draco felt himself drown in the beautiful smile that radiated from her and he closed his eyes basking in the warmth.

Harry became serious for a moment before he chuckled and called out "thanks O hero Draco" breaking Draco out of his bliss even as he called back "anytime O chosen one". Harry however soon became serious again as the moment passed and he turned to Ron and Hermione "I assume the horcrux is destroyed? It _was_ a horcrux right?" he asked mimicking Draco's questions the previous day.

Ron laid a hand on Harry's shoulder as Hermione nodded "yes it was, Professor Dumbledore destroyed it" she said. Harry became silent for a minute before asking the inevitable "what did the horcrux do?".

Hermione shared a look with Ron and spoke for the both of them "a black smoke came out of the horcrux and it tried to go through Professor Dumbledore but then _this is_ Professor Dumbledore. He managed to plunge the fang in spite of it. He was shaken for a bit but it did no lasting damage" she said. Harry sighed "that is a relief to know" he muttered.

"So where does this leave us? Ron mused and was rewarded with an answer from Draco who had a thoughtful look on his face. He cleared his throat and said "I think it leaves us with a need for more training. When we were duelling with the Dark Lord I felt that we were being outclassed all the time. I don't know about you Potter" he said glancing at Harry "but I definitely do not feel confident about taking him on any time now" he said heavily.

Harry nodded thoughtfully as well "it is true Draco. We are definitely not ready. It would have been a disaster if we did not have those portkeys." he said as Hermione butted in "what exactly happened there Harry? Where is you-know-who now?" she asked voicing the question on Ron's mind as well.

Harry looked at his friend's serious faces and launched into an account of the squirmish at Malfoy Manor. He glanced at Draco to see him nodding him in accord even as he glossed over the parts where they were surrounded by the death eaters and were almost taken captive. "But Draco is right I am definitely not ready. _We_ are not ready" he emphasized with a sigh as he looked at them and asked "However I am open to suggestions".

Draco cleared his throat "well Uncle Severus had started training me in wand less magic and I reckon you guys should learn too" he said looking directly at Hermione. "The git! This is what I call favouritism" Ron grumbled as Draco answered "No, it came about only because I did not have a wand and needed some form of defence, especially when being hunted by the Dark lord " he explained even as he chafed at the slight to his godfather.

" _Still_ " Ron grumbled and made to continue when they heard footsteps and turned to see Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape accompanied by Madam Pomfrey. "Good morning! Nice to see that all of you here. Harry and Draco, I trust you are feeling better?" Dumbledore enquired solicitously.

Harry and Draco nodded as Hermione called out her own "good morning Professors". Madam Pomfrey swiftly ran her wand over the two teens as Severus Snape handed over a small bag to Draco carrying his clothes and supplies. Madam Pomfrey had a small smile as she was heartened by the results and she declared them fit to be discharged from the hospital.

'Oh good!" Harry declared as Draco followed with "Great!" as Pomfrey glared in mock anger and left with parting words of advice "any discomfort whatsoever I want to you to come back immediately".

Harry and Draco nodded obediently and reached for their bags but were stopped by Dumbledore's voice "we still have not heard what happened at the Manor. Care to enlighten us?" he asked softly gesturing to himself and Snape.

Harry and Draco looked at each other and Harry replied "Hmm...Yes I suppose" and they launched at another recount of the fracas. At the end of the recounting they reiterated how they needed to be trained further as Draco looked at Severus directly and said "Perhaps all of us should be trained at wand less duelling too Sir".

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully "Yes the idea has merit. Severus, do you think that you can extend the courtesy of those classes to all of them?" he addressed the potions master firmly. The wording had been a request but the tone was definitely not. Snape recognized the words and grimaced. "Are you sure that there is no other person who can help in the training?" he asked distaste surfacing in his tone.

"None whom I can trust Severus" Dumbledore replied as Severus turned to see a hurt look on his godson's face. God forbid! The boy had come to care for Potter and his cronies Severus realized and chose to amend his earlier stance if not for Potter, for Draco then.

"I see, in that case I consent. We can schedule classes in their free time and I will see what can be done" he acquiesced. Dumbledore steepled[D1] his fingers "that is settled then, thank you Severus. Now about the vinculum potion" he said and paused to study the change in the teenager's expressions.

Harry's face had gone blank and he did not move a muscle, staring at the blanket on his legs. Draco had gone still too but his eyes were a mirror reflecting the worry, resignation and expected doom that was running through his mind and emotions even as he looked straight ahead not holding anyone's gaze.

Ron and Hermione had gone from calm to absolute tension in the few minutes that the words had been uttered and Hermione clutched Draco's hand even tighter. She had an overpowering feeling of wanting to draw him closer to her and hold him in a tight embrace so as to shield him from the cruelties of the world. A corner of her mind told her that she was impersonating a mother hen rather nicely but she was too tense to worry about it.

Ron had gone rigid and he tightly bit out "what about it?" he asked "sir" he added as an afterthought.

Dumbledore looked at them serenely but the twinkle was missing from his eyes noticeably. "The vinculum potion will be made very soon. I anticipate that after the destruction of the horcrux Voldemort would want access to both the information as well as those holding the information. He will soon demand the vinculum potion and I am afraid to say that Severus has already started on it. This means that we have to focus on finding a counter to it as soon as possible ourselves. I have written out a permission letter for you to gain access to the restricted section. I suggest you get onto it right away" he said much to the distress of the teenagers.

Hermione could hardly nod her assent as her eyes started to water of their own accord. "I will get started right away sir" she affirmed in a hoarse voice as Ron nodded too. "Good. That leaves us to discuss just one more thing" Dumbledore announced as the group tensed for more bad news. "What else was there?" Draco wondered idly and was confused when Dumbledore looked at him.

"Your classes Draco". He said simply and Draco knew what was coming. "You have already lost valuable time. To lose more time will not solve anything. However I would like to know your thoughts on the matter" he expanded plunging the group into a dilemma.

"But the Slytherins Albus. They will not take lightly to Draco especially after what happened. You know that there are a fair number of death eater's children in that house. He will not be safe in the dormitory" Severus protested his eyes reflecting the fear for his Godson.

"This is precisely why Draco has to make a decision Severus. But realistically speaking, how long can he truly hide in your quarters?" Dumbledore voiced his concerns.

Everyone realized the truth of the statement, Draco most of all. He felt a deep coil of fear as he thought of what his classmates were capable of. The only reason that they had listened and put up with him all these years was the fact that he had been Lucius Malfoy's son and prime death eater material, not to mention incredibly wealthy. Now he was stripped of all the protections and he shuddered to think of what he would face.

"What about resorting?" Harry's voice came out quiet and tentative. Severus looked up sharply "what was that Potter?" he asked quite sure that he had heard wrong. Harry looked at the potions master and spoke up a bit louder "Resorting Sir. Would it be possible to have Draco resorted? Perhaps he will get sorted into a different house" he said.

Both Dumbledore and Severus fell silent ruminating over the different aspects of the suggestion. A small twinkle reappeared in Dumbledore's eyes. "I will have to look up some of the earlier texts to corroborate but I believe it can be done. Would it be agreeable to you Draco and to you Severus?" he asked looking at the men in question.

Draco shook his head "No Sir, I am sorry it is not agreeable to me" he said quickly and cast his eyes down, not daring to look at Hermione. She, They.. did not understand, he had done far too much to the members of the other houses to be either forgiven or to be forgotten. He already felt uprooted enough and he had no desire to be at a place where he had to start all over again, yet again. He was tired of the changes, what with one happening right on the heels of the earlier. It was just too much.

He had expected Hermione to speak out and he was not disappointed as she came up with her protests "But your safety is more important Draco. I agree that it would not be an easy decision to make. You will not be accepted by the other houses readily and you might even be ridiculed" here she paused with an apologetic look "but you will not be harmed" she said forcefully.

" has a point Draco" Severus said in his quiet voice "It would do good to consider the proposition rather than reject it out of hand" he reiterated. "You might not make any friends in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff but they will not physically harm you either. As for Gryffindor, you might be pranked or worse but you have friends to watch your back now. All in all it does not seem as bad as you might think" he advised.

"I need some time to think" Draco murmured, suddenly overwhelmed with everything that had happened. He indeed had a lot to think, his life as changing in too many directions and it left him feeling that he had no control over his life whatsoever.

Dumbledore sighed and got up "I will leave you to make your decision Draco. When you are ready with your decision kindly let me know and I will do the needful. Now I need to be getting back to my work as do all of you. Good day." He bid his farewell and made his way out of the hospital wing.

 **Please review!**

 **Author notes** : First of all I am very sorry for the delay. A family trip to Dubai put me behind schedule but now it would be better. As always I am deeply grateful for the nice words that I have received. But as with all good things it has left me greedy for more). I would like to thank the guest reviewers too who made my day and all the followers and those who favourited the story. Some of you have been with me from the beginning and I can't begin to let you know how much the trust means to me. Thanks again guys!

[D1]


	33. author note again

**Author note again!**

Hello everyone! I am sure that you would all agree that the best part of fan fiction is that it is interactive. So let me take the opportunity to ask all of you to let me know whether you want Draco to be resorted or not…think of it as a reader poll and when you are letting me know what you want, feel free to add your thoughts on any aspect of the story. Looking forward to hearing from you asap so that I can start on the next chapter pronto!


	34. Chapter 34 Is this a solution?

**Chapter 32**

 **Is this a solution?**

 **Warning for mild language**

As soon as Albus Dumbledore exited the hospital wing, Severus Snape turned to the teenagers. "Draco change and come down to the quarters for breakfast. I will escort you to the quarters and leave for my classes. In the meantime you three feel free to carry on with your breakfast and to your classes." he instructed. Draco nodded and stepped behind the curtains to change as Harry did the same behind his curtains.

When he stepped out fully dressed he saw that Hermione had a thoughtful look on her face. She turned to Severus Snape and addressed him "Sir, we are already running low on time, would it not be more essential that we try to find information on the antidote to the vinculum potion? If you can excuse us from classes I would like to get started on the research right away. Please sir" she said with a note of plea in her voice.

Harry and Ron turned sharply and looked at Hermione like she had sprouted two heads. "Oi! Who are you and what have you done with Hermione?" Ron burst out. Harry simply gaped as Hermione cast an annoyed look at Ron and turned to Severus Snape for his answer.

"Well if that is what you want to do, I will not stop you. I am aware that you can easily bridge your classes and the circumstances are indeed dire. I will write you a note to access the restricted section as well. All the best and now I will have to take my leave. Come Draco" he said much to the astonishment of the teenagers.

Draco however did not follow readily. His brow furrowed in thought "Severus, I want to help in the research too. Can I go with them to the library?" he asked with quiet determination in his voice. Severus started to shake his head ready to object when Harry intervened quickly "he can use my invisibility cloak and stay hidden until it is safe" he said in a rush.

Severus stilled and looked at Draco "Draco are you sure about this?" he asked .Draco nodded "yeah very sure…Uncle this involves me as much as Harry. I want to help" he reaffirmed. Severus nodded "fine you may go with them but first come down to the dungeons for breakfast and then go to the library." " he said addressing Ron "I assume that you can find the cloak without assistance?" he asked with an enquiring look. Ron nodded to indicate yes "in that case can you to bring it here immediately?" Severus ordered.

"I will go now sir" Ron said and made off to the Gryffindor dormitory. Severus turned to Draco again "okay I need to get going now. Perhaps instead of going to the dungeons you all can get breakfast in the kitchens and head to the library. That seems to be the prudent choice right now. Take care and I wish you all the best in your search. Good day and here is your permission to use the restricted section" he said and handed over a piece of parchment to Hermione before striding out of the infirmary.

Draco took a deep breath and looked at the other two teenagers. "What a mess" he remarked. "Yeah, what a mess" Harry affirmed as they waited in silence for Ron to come back. Presently they heard the patter of footsteps that announced Ron's arrival. Ron came in breathing hard and handed over the shimmering cloak to Draco. Draco draped the cloak around himself and disappeared from view "I can't believe that the golden boy has to have this also" his voice came out whiny and resentful.

Harry grinned "Just be happy that I am the sharing type Malfoy. Come let's go" he called back. They made their way to the kitchens where Dobby served a nice breakfast for the 'Great Harry Potter' and thereafter walked down to the library in silence. The seriousness of the situation had caught up to them and the air had turned sombre.

Hermione led the way inside and brandished the parchment to Miss Pince. The librarian gave them a skeptical look and waved them inside. They immediately went to the restricted section that was banned to the students and got down to business. Each one of them went to tackle one rack of books and came back to the table laden with a few tomes.

Hermione went walking to and fro and wound up stacking an impressive number of books. Once they were convinced that they had a fair number of books they got down to it. Draco had removed the cloak and had taken a seat facing his stack of books on potions.

He did not bother with the usual routine books that dealt with the love potions and the ones used for healing and other uses. He skimmed the texts until he came to the ones used in the dark arts. He perused the index for any indication of the vinculum potion. There were the ones used in lieu of the imperious curse and there was even a liquid cruciatus potion but there was no mention of the vinculum potion.

" _ewww_ " he heard Ron call out "some of these potions are downright disgusting. Did you know that there are potions to corrode the internal organs? And ones for shrinking the intestines? _And a burning potion_?" to the room at large. Harry still had his nose in the books as did Hermione and refrained from commenting.

As the time passed their frustration also grew as there seemed to be mention of every damn potion under the sun except for the vinculum potion. After a good two hours of futile searching Draco leaned back, his mind swimming with the words in the books. "Guys let's take a break and discuss this .It looks like we might be barking up the wrong tree" he said as Hermione shut her book with a frustrated bang and leaned back in exhaustion as well.

She swiped he hand across her face and regarded the boys who were all lost in thought. "I can't believe that there is not a single mention of the darned potion" she said her frustration evident. "I have looked at the dark potions and the potions going back a century and there is not even a small mention of it" she mused.

"Perhaps we should reassess what we know…why does you-know-who want the potion?" she asked and then answered her own question "to get his hands on Draco and Harry who both carry scars caused by him. But how can a potion actually do that?" she further questioned and was answered by Harry who had a grim look on his face.

"Mione, what if the potion has a summoning component?" he asked his voice coming out low and tight. "What if it can actually transport something?" he asked tentatively looking down at his hands which were clenched tightly together.

"What? No that is ridiculous…A potion can't do that" Ron burst out unwilling to contemplate the horrible implications and looked at Hermione who looked like she was about to cry.

Her voice shook as she wiped at a few surreptious tears as she said "let us try the potions that have a summoning component then. There are after all potions which are being used in lieu of spells …what if this works the same way?" she whispered fearfully.

Draco took a deep breath and exhaled noisily "well there is no point in delaying the search just because we are scared of the implications. There might be some antidote to it. Remember this has to be pretty ancient. So look at all the really old texts and zero in on summoning potions….no _wait_ … _summoning spells..summoning potions_!…what if we are not able to find it because it is not listed in the potions but in the spell books instead? We should search those too" his voice becoming animated in excitement.

The others sat up straight…yes this could be a breakthrough. "That is a bloody good point" Harry said getting up and laying a hand on Draco's shoulder. "Come on let us get some spell books" he urged. This time they went straight to the restricted section.

Hermione ran through the titles when she noticed a small hinge resting behind one of the books. She ran her hand over the hinge and was startled when the shelf suddenly swung inward leading to an alcove of sorts. "What in the name of Merlin is this?" Ron asked in awe.

Sharing a silent look, they walked in to the alcove. "Lumos" Harry muttered softly and as the light illuminated the area they saw rows of ancient texts lining the shelves. These texts looked fragile and seemed to be restricted for a reason. Hermione reached for one of the texts almost reverently and was disgusted by the evil representations on the cover itself.

"Guys, there is a text written by Grindelwald here? Should I get it?" Ron's voice washed over the others. "Get it Ron" Harry instructed as Ron reached out and took out the tome gingerly. Hermione had an unholy look in her eyes as she saw the Grindelwald book. "Grindelwald wrote a book?" she asked with awe in her voice.

Harry shrugged as he wrestled with some other books. Some of the books looked like they would take a bite out of the readers and had to be handled very carefully. "Guys we need to move fast before anyone else comes here. I don't think this place is meant to be found by the students" Harry warned even as he wrenched back his fingers which were almost bitten by one of the books.

"Yeah" The others agreed and each one of them took a different shelf and took out those tomes that carried mentions of both spells as well as potions. Finally they went back to their place after carefully closing the door again. There was once again no indication of such an alcove existing as they became immersed in the tomes.

"Perhaps we should start with the Grindelwald book….from one dark lord to another" Draco quipped dryly as everyone moved to peer at the book over his shoulder. As he ran his fingers over the index his breath nearly caught in his throat as he caught sight of " _summoning spells and potions"._ He heard and felt the tension from the others as he went to the corresponding page. "Guys you should come here" he said quietly and the others moved to his side alarmed at the quietness of his tone.

"Draco can you read it aloud?" Harry's voice floated down and Draco obliged. " _The usage of a summoning spell to call forth inanimate objects has long since been known as well as commonplace. What is uncommon however whether it be the knowledge or the means of doing so is the possibility of summoning a live object to one's side._ " Draco paused and his voice wavered as Hermione reached forward to gently lay a hand on his.

He glanced at Harry and seeing his face set in an emotionless mask he continued reading " _Many wizards had contemplated upon the possibility of being able to summon a live object and many debates had been conducted on the righteousness of it. This was especially so as the summons were ultimately proven to work on not just animals and plants but also human beings. Some wizards especially among the pureblood community felt that such a spell would be useful in making sure that their wives would not stray. It would also ensure the continued enslavement of the house elves as well as even the goblin community._

 _But many other wizards objected strenuously stating that this was tantamount to a different kind of slavery and hence could not be encouraged. So any information regarding the spell became restricted and over a period of time it was lost to the wizarding population. Much effort was dispensed in eradicating any mention of the subject written or spoken._

 _However a secret society, some called it a cult of wizards worked to keep the knowledge alive and even produced a variant of the spell. They believed the variant to be even more esoteric as well as easier to use. They created a potion that would mimic the action of the spell much in the same way as a liquid cruciatus and would produce the same result as the spell."_ Draco stopped unable to continue as a cold ball settled in his gut. He dared not look at the others to see the same tension reflected on their faces.

He felt Hermione clasp his hand tighter as he shook himself and continued reading " _This potion known as the vinculum potion would serve in the same way as the summoning spell but had one limitation. The person who is to be summoned had to have some bond with the one consuming the potion. The bond can be created when the person consuming the potion adds his own blood to the potion and when the other party carries some kind of an affectation caused by the drinker of the potion. This could be an injury caused or a bond such as marriage, adoption or relationship in the genetic sense._

 _"The effects of the potion would be such that the person who is the intended target would feel an overwhelming pull and a need to be at the side of the one who has consumed the potion. Any effort at resistance caused great pain almost equal to the cruciatus. The effects of the potion would last until such a time that the drinker voluntarily commands the release of the other."_

 _"There is no easily known antidote to the potion but it is rumored that there is a way the potion can be countered. This author was not able to come by the knowledge of the antidote and the reader is advised to refer to other texts even more arcane in nature should they desire to delve further."_

 _"_ Well that is the end of the text" Draco said heavily. He looked up to see the agitated expressions on the faces of the others. The tension in the air could have been cut with a knife as the harsh reality of what they had heard began to sink in.

The situation seemed very dire and he could almost smell the fear and worry in the room. No one seemed capable of speech and to Draco it almost felt like goodbye.

Hermione's eyes were filled with a wild tension but she would not let this defeat them. She roused herself from the stupor and gripped his hand so hard that he was almost sure that his circulation had stopped.

"He did not say that there is no antidote at all…he says look harder. We cannot give up…there _HAS_ to be an antidote. I mean any potion has to have an antidote right?" she asked her eyes shining with grim determination and her jaw set in resolute stubbornness.

She threw back her head as Harry and Ron shared a glance. When Hermione was faced with a block that was when her Gryffindor traits would show. She would be like a dog with a bone and they knew that she was in full Gryffindor mode.

Harry also knew that she would be very worried for him and Draco and he spoke up. "Of course we are not going to give up. We are the golden trio…or have you forgotten?" he asked with a laugh seeking to dispel some of the tension.

"That snake faced monster is NOT going to win, Mione. I have not survived this long to go down now. We are NOT giving up! Besides are you going to give this ferret up just like that?" he asked looking sideways at Draco before looking at Hermione his eyes shining with equal determination.

Hermione wiped her eyes and clasped Draco's hand as she opened another book pointedly. "Listen guys, I just thought of something" she said. "What?" Ron asked as Hermione expanded "even though Grindelwald suggests we look at older texts I think we should look at texts that came after. I don't really think he would have missed anything plus there is a chance that the antidote was found at a later date. I am not giving up _either_ of you" She said looking at the others expectantly.

"It's worth a try" Draco agreed and went on to pull out the texts that were dated later than Grindelwald's book. The others followed suit getting her point until Ron exclaimed "guys! There is some mention of the potion here" he said with excitement.

The others rushed to his side trying not to look at the gruesome pictures on the book and peered over Ron's shoulder this time. He looked up at the others "Shall I read aloud?" he asked and at their affirmation started reading aloud. He skipped the part where it detailed how the potion is made and read ahead "In the past much speculation has been made about the misuse of this potion and many potioneers have worked to find an antidote. After much conjectures on the part of many the possibility of an antidote has been proposed".

"Does that mean what I think?" Harry grinned feeling hopeful for the first time. "Shush…carry on Ron" Hermione admonished. Ron grinned and continued " _It is the innate nature of an antidote to be the opposite of the potion itself. Where the vinculum potion is intended to summon by hate the antidote hinges on the opposite emotion. The antidote needs an anchor steeped in love. Nothing more can be said conclusively on the antidote except to caution the reader that the antidote has never been tried and remains etched in theory"._

" _What? That's all_?! What does it mean? Why the hell don't these books come out and say it like it is" Ron grumbled. Draco and Hermione had a thoughtful look on their faces as they chewed over the wording in the text. Finally Hermione spoke "well I think it means the potion has to be taken by someone who loves the intended target instead of hate…that much is kind of clear. But it can't be just that…." She said contemplatively.

Draco chose that moment to add his words "that bit about needing an anchor…that says something. We need to interpret what an anchor means in potions lingo" he said his mind trying to come up with an explanation for the words.

"Maybe we it will be better to ask Professor Snape about it" Hermione suggested as Ron butted in with "after lunch. I am starving". The others laughed as Hermione said "yes after lunch. But first let us make a copy of this data and keep the books back in the alcove. We don't want anyone else to know about the alcove" she cautioned.

They quickly gathered the books and replaced them in the correct shelves. "It is close to lunch time and the students will all be in the corridors. Draco it will be better to put on the cloak now I suppose" Hermione said. Draco nodded and picked up the cloak but stopped as Harry spoke "Draco a word in private if you will" he said looking at Ron and Hermione. Both of them hesitated for a moment before walking out of the restricted section.

Once they were out of hearing range he turned to Draco who was looking at him expectantly. "Draco I know that circumstances have forced you to become a part of our team. I realize that you have changed as a person too but I need to know how serious you are about Hermione."

"She is one of the most loyal and most kind hearted persons I know and she is like a sister to me. If I come to see that she is hurt by you in any way I will not hold back. I will personally tear you apart limb to limb. I know that you have feelings for her but Merlin help me! If you think you can use her and throw her away you better start praying soon" Harry said his eyes glinting with ferocity as they bored a hole through Draco. The intensity of the glare was scorching and for the first time Draco felt the full power behind the legend of the Boy-who-lived.

He also knew that what he would say would be very important and chose his words carefully "When I landed in Hogwarts I was a mess. My life had changed radically and my perceptions started changing too. See, Slytherins are very different from Gryffindors. It is very cliché but also very true. We don't come out and say things openly. We do not do things without personal gain; yes we are capable of being selfish. But, _but_ it is not like we are any less human. We know love Potter, we do love but just don't show it enough."

"You might not see it easily enough but seeing the way you three bond has opened me to another perception. I have changed without even realizing it. I _want_ this kind of bond Harry; I want the selfless love that you people give so easily. And as for Hermione, Jeez I can't believe I am telling you this, but I think I am falling for her rather hard" By this time Draco was highly uncomfortable and his cheeks were rather flushed.

Harry simply raised his eyebrows as Draco continued "Anyway, yes, I do like her very much … _Prat_!" He mumbled at Harry's grin before continuing "and ...you don't have to worry about me hurting her. I did not take a cruciatus to hurt her… _geez_ I wouldn't do that easily. But then again, with circumstances being what they are and without even knowing if I am going to survive I do not want to give any false assurances. So that is where I stand… _happy_?" he asked sarcastically.

"Very" Harry grinned before adding "In any case let us join those two before they decide we are taking too much time. And Draco if it helps, thanks for having my back and for what you did at the Manor. And if it things work out with Hermione I will not be the one objecting as long as you treat her right" he said walking towards the exit as Draco shrugged the cloak back on and followed.

It had already been proved to be one hell of a morning and he was wondering what the afternoon would bring.

 _Please read and review!_

 **Author notes:** Thank you so much for the lovely reviews and for letting me know your thoughts. I am humbled by your acceptance of my story and hope that I will hear more from you. I am open to criticism too which I believe will help me learn and improve so feel free. So thanks again and please do review!


	35. chap 35 A dark cloud and a silver lining

**Chapter 33 A dark cloud and a silver lining**

 **Legal disclaimer** : nothing that you have not heard before! All of Harry Potter belongs to J. .

After much deliberation the four teenagers decided that they might as well head to the kitchens for their lunch as they really did not want to split up right then. In any case they had to meet Professor Snape so it really did not make any sense to split up. The lunch however was a subdued affair as the knowledge of what they had found weighed heavily on their mind.

Hermione found herself holding onto Harry and Draco by turns as if to reassure herself of their presence. She could not envision a life without Harry in it. He was her best friend and brother all rolled into one and she valued both the sides of him immensely.

As for Draco over the last few days her emotions had rolled around like a roller coaster and she felt buffeted in all directions when it came to him. She needed time to sort out her feelings, but that was the one commodity that was fast becoming scarce. All that she knew was that he was very attractive and that she was undeniably attracted to him. But she also knew that somewhere along the line it had become more than just physical attraction.

She had been absolutely terrified when he had stayed behind in the Manor and she had been out of her mind with worry when he had come sprawling into the hospital wing. But then that would have been worrying for Harry as well her mind snidely questioned and she snorted knowing that she was only trying to fool herself.

 _Ugh!_ All this was majorly confusing and she determined that she needed to talk to another girl about all of this. Yes, she would talk to Ginny that night she vowed in her mind.

"A penny for your thoughts, Mione?" Harry's voice interrupted and she was amused as it was followed by a chorus of "penny?" by Draco and Ron in confused tones. "Muggle money" she explained and said "nothing important Harry". However the others remained unconvinced but chose not to comment as they found themselves outside Professor Snape's door.

They knocked and waited for him to respond and did so when they heard him call out "enter". They entered the office to see him regarding them with raised eyebrows as he conjured more chairs and gestured for them to sit.

"So I presume you have found some information?" he asked looking at their sombre expressions and inwardly grimaced. _Merlin_! Even the Weasley brat was looking solemn and that was practically unheard of. It did not bode well but he did not let his thoughts reflect on his face. They did not need him to fall apart as well. So with his trademark schooled expression he waited for them to respond.

They looked at each other and Hermione and Draco took turns recounting their experiences in the library finishing with "what do you think an anchor in potions language means Sir?". The blood drained from Severus's face as he leaned forward his fist clenched "are you sure that that was the word mentioned?" he asked tersely. By God! This was worse than what he had been anticipating.

The teenagers exchanged an uneasy look and Draco responded "Yes sir we are sure" he said tentatively. He had not been prepared for this reaction from the Professor. He had seen the Professor agitated very rarely and he did not want to know the reason as to why he was agitated now.

Severus released a sigh and ran his hand over his face wearily. " _Merlin!_ Life was unfair...won't they ever catch a break?" he wondered. He however composed himself and addressed the teenagers "okay listen carefully. Put simply the vinculum potion uses the scars as an anchor...it's like a line used to connect to some point on the object to be hauled in, and in this case the scars act as a point of contact. This is probably why the scars are needed in the first place.". He paused to draw a breath and noticed the frantic expression appearing on the teenagers faces.

He held up a hand "in the case we need an antidote we need to create another anchor, in this case another scar" he winced before continuing "and create the vinculum potion ourselves to anchor you to another source preferably one who holds love for you. It would essentially result in a kind of tug of war where the hate he holds for you will have to be challenged by the love of another. It will boil down to that" he finished in a quiet voice before adding "I am really sorry that it has to come to this" he said.

" _What_?" Hermione burst out appalled at the unfairness of it all. Ron's face had become pale while Draco was positively ashen. Harry had clasped his hands and was looking down seeming to anyone as though he was admiring the pattern on the floor. But in reality he was just feeling numb, unable to process the information as his brain rejected the information. This was too scary to even think about.

In due time he lifted his head and looked at the Professor "what will be the effect on the person acting as the anchor?" he asked wondering if he really wanted to know the answer. Severus took a deep breath and answered slowly considering the question "we do not really know. You yourselves said that this has not been done before."

He held up a hand to forestall the argument as he continued "however... _however_ if I had to guess, I would say that the person will feel a muted version of the pull...much like opposing ends of a tug of war and the person has to be very strong and convinced in their affection for you to be able to keep you and themselves from being summoned" he finished heavily.

"A lot depends on the person you choose to act as your anchor and I want you to carefully consider it. The person has to have a strong personality as well as conviction to be able to keep you anchored against the onslaught" he said gravely. The teenagers fell silent and Ron spoke out "I can act as an anchor for Harry" he volunteered even as he looked at Harry for affirmation.

"I don't want anyone to be in danger Ron" Harry said heavily. "But without this it is suicide Harry and besides that it is _my_ choice to make" Ron returned equally ferociously. "I want to do this Harry, I _choose_ to do this and I am not going to let you convince me otherwise. You are my best friend mate.. And I am not giving up on you" Ron cried out desperately, walking to where Harry was seated and sank on his knees next to him.

Harry fell quiet before he spoke "I know" in a quiet voice. But the next instant he was on his feet unable to sit any longer and for the first time in a long time he felt his anger rise. "Perhaps I should just let him summon me and I can get rid of him once and for all" he said his face flushed and eyes glittering in anger "I am sick of him playing God in my life. I can handle it if it was just me but he has no business hurting those around me. Why can't he just leave everyone else alone?" he ranted. The fire in the fireplace shot up alarmingly as the magic fuelled by Harry's anger reacted.

Startled by the display Hermione moved to Harry's side and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Not yet Harry. You...no _we_ are not ready. But the time will come and we will take down Voldemort " she said softly as Harry slowly calmed down, realising that it was Hermione's uncharacteristic usage of the name that had caught him by surprise and his breathing became once more even.

Draco for his part did not even know what to feel. He felt a myriad of emotions but most of all a feeling of defeat. There was no one who loved him enough to be an anchor. For just a moment his mother's face floated into his consciousness and he knew without a doubt that had she been there she would be his anchor. Her loss hit him anew and he struggled to keep the moisture out of his eyes. This was truly the end of the road for him for there was no one apart from Severus who held any love for him and Severus was out for obvious reasons.

Perhaps as a last redeeming act he could let himself be summoned and try to take down the monster as much as he could. Steeling himself he looked at the others "I cannot think of anyone to be my anchor. Perhaps I can let myself be summoned and try to take down the dark lord as much as I can" he said his eyes becoming bleak. The silence in the room became deafening as everyone turned to look at him in shock.

"No" Harry said in a determined and decisive tone. "What part of "friend" don't you understand Draco? I don't know what the Slytherin definition of friendship is but Gryffindors never ever give up on friends" he said forcefully before pointing to Ron and adding "You just saw a display, you know".

Hermione nodded and spoke up "he is right Draco, _I_ will be your anchor and I know that I can be very stubborn...ask these two here. There's no way we will let you go. There is no way _I_ will give you up without a fight." she added the last part softly.

Severus Snape looked a little taken aback at the tenacity in her voice and for the first time refrained from saying anything derogatory about Gryffindors who played the hero. This was his Godson's life and he was not going to throw it away on foolish prejudices.

If there was a chance that Draco could be protected he was going to take it. Right now in all honesty the horizon looked bleak for Draco and that ate at his very soul. So he decided then and there that he was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Draco hesitated and looked pensive as he said "Hermione, can I speak to you privately for a moment"? tentatively while also looking at the group for unspoken permission. Severus nodded "You can use the lab while we wait for you" as Hermione got to her feet and followed Draco to the adjoining lab.

Once both of them were inside he turned to her with a fierce expression. "What the hell was all that about?" he demanded. Hermione was taken aback for a moment before her adamant nature kicked in. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and said tightly "I meant what I said" holding onto her ground.

Draco sighed and ran a hand through his hair wearily. His shoulders slumped and he looked exhausted for a minute before he looked up his silver eyes blazing "Hermione I have no doubt that you would do this for me and fight for me but I have no right taking this from you. Hell! You would probably do this for anyone you consider a friend, but me..It's not the same."

"For the first time in my life I have the chance to do the decent thing, allow me to do it... _please._ In all good conscience I cannot put you in the position. I cannot bear the thought of you being hurt by that monster. I will die before seeing you hurt. Please back off...I don't deserve this. I have not done anything to deserve this" he pleaded.

Draco paused as Hermione moved closer to him. She took his hand in hers "And what do you think Draco? That I can bear to see you tortured by that evil man yet again? I almost died of worry when you stayed back at the Manor and I don't want to go through anything like that ever again. I am not letting you go that easily so Malfoy you have no choice but to put up with me for the time being. So deal with it" she said forcefully her eyes reflecting the determination within.

"And" she continued "don't ever sell yourself short, you have contributed as much as we have, if not more and have faced as much danger as Harry. So I hope that you realize that somewhere in your twisted reasoning these count as 'deserving to be saved'" she said her eyes blazing with intensity as she locked eyes with him, standing with her hands on her hip. It was obvious that she was furious and it showed.

But far from being annoyed however, at that moment in Draco's eyes she looked like an avenging angel and he could not help but take her in his arms. For just a moment he feared that she would back away and felt gratified as her form melted against his as her eyes became soft once again. He was touched at the way she was fighting for him and he felt his feelings for her become even deeper. He could not believe that someone as pure as her found him worthy of saving...he dared not think of any other epithets to the feeling.

She felt perfect to him as his hand encircled her small waist and pulled her closer to him. He held her tightly against his body and relished in the feel of her skin as he gently kissed her neck. She was all soft skin and slim curves as he felt compelled to ask "Are you sure?" again as he let himself bask in the vanilla fragrance that was so peculiarly Hermione.

She looked at him glassy eyed and could hardly call out a soft "yes" before she felt his lips descend on hers. It was not the soft tentative kiss that it had been earlier but it was a kiss that seared her very soul. It carried his lust, despair and pain as plainly as if he had spoken them. For the first time she let herself go and took in a deep breath inhaling the musk scent of him as her hands desperately searched for purchase on his shoulder.

She could feel his muscles rippling under her hands and kissed back with gay abandon as she acknowledged to herself that yes, she wanted Draco. There was no more lying to herself about this or trying to rationalise the whole thing. She wanted him whole; the man that he was underneath the mask. The man in whose silken hair her hands were buried as she pressed against him her body demanding to be one with his.

After a few blissful minutes they reluctantly disengaged, and tried to straighten up the mess that was their hair and clothes. A goofy grin was plastered on their faces but reality set in and Draco's expression turned sombre as he took Hermione's hand in his "Thank you for this…thank you for everything" he said feeling overwhelmed and awkward. However he felt the need to do right by this girl who had changed him and his life so much. If not for her and her kindness he would have fallen into a well of depression much earlier. She had given him the spirit to fight and to live once again.

"Hermione if we had more time I would have liked to properly date you and get to know you better. By the same token I know that you need the time to get to know more about me. All of this is very demanding and I do not want you to be pressured by any of this."

"This anchor thing says it has to be made by someone who loves me...That sounds like an awful lot of pressure to me, not to mention totally unreasonable. I know that at this point of time neither of us are sure about what our relationship is and love is a tall order. But I want to take it at least in the right direction in" he said his eyes glinting with an indescribable emotion as he tightened his hold on her hand.

He dipped his head and placed a hand on his heart "Hermione Granger will you be my girlfriend?" he asked his voice coming out diffident and hesitant.

Hermione smiled widely and he felt relieved as her eyes glowed with love as she said "yes Draco...I will be your girlfriend" she said simply. Draco's face broke out into a grin and she marvelled at how his face transformed as he once again captured her lips now with all the possessiveness of a boyfriend.

He growled when she finally disengaged from him and said "don't you think we have to get back now?". "Yes I suppose" he admitted grudgingly before becoming serious once again "Hermione thank you for agreeing to be my side...it means more than you know. I swear I will make it up to you some time" he said fervently. "I would not have it any other way" she responded as she moved towards where the others waited for them.

"So is everything resolved?" Severus asked as he took in the happy faces of his godson and Hermione Granger. "Yes sir" Draco replied unable to keep a smile off his face as he said "Hermione will act as my anchor".

Harry glanced at his friend's smiling countenance and had a fair idea of what would have transpired. He really wished that everything would work for the best and that Draco would turn out to be good for Hermione. He would have to talk about it to Hermione he thought but before that there was another question he wanted answered.

"Sir is it necessary that the scar has to be only created by the one who will be acting as an anchor?" he asked as Severus replied "Yes normally that is the practice. That also ensures maximum efficiency" he said. Harry fell silent for a minute before saying "In that case I want to ask Ginny to be my anchor" as Ron looked up startled. "Mate I can understand why you would like Ginny to do it, no I really understand" he said forestalling Harry's explanation "but is it safe? And why not me?" he asked.

Harry looked thoughtful and a trifle bashful as he explained "Ron, if a mark is going to be made on my body, if it is made by someone whom I love and who loves me, it makes it more personal and a bit more tolerable. It makes it feel more like a tattoo that everyone wears to declare their love or something. But you are right, there is the element of danger and I want to ask her before committing to it" he said.

Ron fell reluctantly silent as Draco could not resist making a dig at Harry's expense " _gosh_ Potter! Never knew you were so full of mush and romance...The golden boy is brave and romantic to boot!" he sing-songed with a glint in his eye as Harry turned red with a glare in his direction before a sly grin graced his features. "Ha! Says the man who never knew how to smile earlier and now can't stop smiling,,, wonder what that is all about?" he teased back putting on an innocent expression as it was now Draco's turn to glare.

Severus however cleared his throat and waited for the teenagers to give him their full attention as he said "Now that we are done with the bantering, there is one more thing that I need to tell you Draco. The bond between us has to be dissolved before creating the anchor. It is quite obvious that I will most probably be at the Dark Lord's side when he takes the vinculum potion and he can't know that there is a bond between us, as I will definitely feel the effects of the potion too by extension".

Draco nodded, his throat feeling clogged and his voice came out strangled as he said "yes I understand sir" quietly. Severus sat back in his chair and started gathering the papers on his desk into a neat pile as he addressed Harry "So we will wait for you to get back to us with whether Miss Weasley is going to be your anchor before setting up the ritual. And if there is nothing more to be discussed, I have my class to get to" he said as he got up from his seat and started making his way out the door when he was stopped by Draco's voice.

"Sir, what about training for wandless magic? When can we start classes?" he asked. Severus stopped and turned back with a contemplative look "Yes I did agree to teach you. Will it be agreeable to start tomorrow evening after your classes?" he asked. Harry, Hermione and Ron looked at each other and Harry shrugged before answering "Sounds good to us Sir" he said. "So I assume that is all, and if there is anything else I am afraid it has to wait" Severus responded as he walked out of the office followed closely by the teenagers.

 **Author note** : Thank you so much for the excellent reviews especially fireruby who pointed out some errors on my part. She (I assume it is a she!) wondered why I ask for reviews but it was _her_ review that helped me correct the errors! So fireruby I have tried to correct some of the lapses but not entirely done. Please continue pointing out my mistakes though, it helps. Reviews are my beta read right now and I need as many as I can get. So while saying a big thank you to everyone who is either following my story or have favourited it I am also not going to stop asking you to review! Your reviews are my mirror. Thanks once again and please do r &r.


	36. Chapter 36 Sweet Merlin! I love him

**Chapter 34 Sweet Merlin! I love him**

 **Disclaimer:** All of Harry Potter belongs to J. and I make no money out of this!

As Severus Snape walked out of the office the teenagers looked at each other and made their way onto the corridor themselves. "So what do we do now?" Ron asked. Harry turned to him and replied "I need to talk to Ginny…she will return to the common room in a while. It's almost time for all the classes to end and I want to catch her before it gets crowded or it gets to dinner time" he said, heaviness reflected in his voice.

Hermione knew that everything in Harry would be at war at involving Ginny in this mess and the younger Harry would never have done it. But lately Harry had become more mature and had taken to looking at the situation in a more complete manner. Perhaps this was his Slytherin side talking she acknowledged reluctantly.

Talking of Slytherins she had her own discussion to be had with Ginny and so it was with reluctance that she turned to Draco "I need to get back to the dorms too. Perhaps we can meet later…" she dragged unsure of what to say. It seemed it was a rather abrupt departure and she felt very uneasy at being away from Draco.

She searched his face in an effort to gauge his expression and was interrupted by Harry "Mione he is a big boy. I am sure that he can make his way back to his quarters quite safely" he said in a teasing voice his emerald eyes sparkling with amused mirth.

Hermione glared at him as Draco piped in equally amused "yes Mione..I am a big boy. I can even show you how much of a big boy I am if you want" he said with an innocent expression as Ron groaned with a disgusted " _eww_ ….can we please get out of here now?" he begged with false desperation.

The others laughed and as Draco draped himself with the invisibility cloak the others departed to the Gryffindor tower, while he took the route to the dungeons.

The Golden trio made their way to the common room and sank gratefully into the comfortable chairs by the fire. They fell silent, each engrossed in their thoughts, when the portrait hole opened and the rest of their dorm mates started coming back.

Soon Ginny entered with a couple of her classmates and seeing the trio headed straight towards them. Hermione discreetly cast a privacy spell as Ginny flopped down next to Harry. "Okay what is wrong?" she asked looking at their sombre faces. Ron looked up startled at his sister's perception and asked "how do you know that something is wrong?".

"Well, the three of you are practically radiating tension and you look like someone's cat died so out with it. What is the problem?" she asked again patiently. Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He then proceeded to explain about the vinculum potion and what the antidote was in general terms with the other two pitching in now and then.

Ginny gasped and her eyes filled with unshed tears as she unconsciously leaned into Harry and gripped him tightly. "Why, you? Why is it _always_ you?" she whispered as her eyes became filled with rage and worry, one emotion against the monster who was tormenting her love's life and another for her boyfriend to survive.

Harry's eyes became dull for a moment as he gathered his strength. He stood up and gathered Ginny in a hug "there is something we need to discuss. Will you come with me for a walk?" he asked softly reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear in a rare show of open affection.

Ginny wiped her wet eyes and nodded mutely as she followed him out of the portrait hole. They walked in silence as Harry made his way to the Great Lake and sat under his favorite tree. This was an isolated spot and he knew that no one ventured this far. Ginny sat down and leaned into him resting her head on his shoulder "what is it Harry?" she asked getting to the heart of the matter.

Harry hesitated a moment, before mentioning that the antidote had to be made by the person who loved him and one who would act as his anchor. Ginny fell silent, her mind swimming with the knowledge and her heart filled with pain for what her boyfriend was going through and what he would have to face in the future too.

She looked at his calm face and clear eyes and felt her heart break. Well if this is what was demanded of being Harry Potter's girlfriend she told herself, then she would just have to steel herself for it.

A deep hate for Voldemort welled up inside her at the havoc he was causing in their lives and if he were to appear, she knew that she would kill him herself. She took deep breaths and attempted to become calm. Harry did not need a hysterical girlfriend on his hands right now. She kept silent until she was sure that she could act calmly and then voiced her question.

"Of course I will be your anchor but why are you so tense about asking me? Would I have to hurt you to be the anchor?" she asked in a soft voice. Harry took a sharp breath, and looked away for a moment before turning back to her again. He knew that his answer would cause her great anguish. After all if it was the reverse he knew that he would die before causing her pain. He could never do it and he hoped that Ginny was stronger than him in this respect.

But right now, there was no dancing around it "yes, you would have to," he said, pausing a moment and then tried to soften the blow "but I would rather it be you than anyone else. Think of it as our secret bond or something. It will be the mark of our love forever…please Ginny will you be my strength?" he asked in a rare show of vulnerability.

Ginny was torn in two…her boyfriend was asking for her help and to see Harry so vulnerable in itself was a rarity, but in order to help him she had to hurt him. _Merlin! What kind of a torture was this!_ As minutes passed in silence and she became numb to the pain pulsing through her, her determination to fight the monster became renewed. She was hardly aware of the tears leaking out of her eyes as logic and emotion warred in equal ferocity and she made her decision reluctantly.

She looked at Harry and nodded through the tears coursing through her cheeks "I will do it Harry _but I swear by Merlin! I hate him_. I hate him with every ounce of my being and I will kill him just for this" she bit out her face flushed and her eyes filled with rage.

She was furious and it showed. Harry took her in her arms and gently wiped away the tears. "Thanks Ginny…thank you for being so brave. But I don't want you anywhere near him…not even his shadow. I don't know what I would do without you by my side" he muttered as he bent down to kiss away the pearls of tears streaking down.

She clutched him desperately and turned her face to his lips surrendering herself to the feel of his lips on her cheeks, lips which were moving down and were now capturing her lips. She felt the softness of his lips on hers and she was filled with a surge of love as she kissed him back fervently. He was hers and she was not going to give him up for anything in the world. Her hand went around his neck and snaked up into his hair as she tasted the firmness of his lips against hers.

It seemed the fates were conspiring against her as all she wanted was to hold onto him forever and forever. She clutched him harder and sought to feel every inch of him, holding him close as though to protect him from the demons out for his blood.

She ran her hands over his hair revelling in the wildness of it, and trailed her hands over his shoulder and torso marvelling at the muscles that rippled under her touch.

He had pulled her close and every inch of her body was pressed against him, feeling him and relishing his warmth. He was hers, all hers and she wanted to shout to the Gods to just let them be. She needed him just as he needed her. _Didn't they understand that?_

Time stood still as it seemed that they were drowning in each other's pain and the knowledge of impending doom and their kiss became deeper and more demanding. It was as if it was their last kiss and they had to make it last. It was after what seemed like ages that Harry slowly broke off the kiss and Ginny was startled to see his eyes filled with moisture.

He bent his head and laid his head on her shoulder in need of comfort as Ginny ran her hand through his hair in a soothing gesture. This time she would be the stronger one, strong for him she thought fiercely.

After what seemed like an eternity Harry raised himself and took her hand in his. Pressing a kiss on the back of her hand he smiled "thanks for everything Gin. You are the best" he said. Ginny smiled in return and continued running her hand through his hair "when should we do this thing?" she asked.

"As soon as I tell Professor Snape that my anchor is ready" Harry quipped and Ginny once again tensed. "It will be fine Gin.. Besides you won't be the only one in this position…Hermione is going to be the anchor for Draco" he said in an attempt to make the situation better.

"But I thought that it had to be made by someone who loves you?' she asked as Harry nodded. "Does that mean that they are dating?" She asked, her eyes lighting up in excitement. Harry smiled as the mood lightened "that is something you will have to ask Mione…but I am fairly sure that they are" he affirmed.

"Does Ron know?" Ginny questioned as she worried about her brother's reaction. Harry nodded "I think he does, don't worry Ginny, he has got over the non acceptance phase. I am not saying that he is ecstatic about it but at least he is not fighting about it either. For now that is a good sign" he said.

Ginny got up brushing her clothes "oh Merlin! Now I have to _absolutely_ talk to Hermione. Come let's get back to the tower" she said pulling up Harry as well. Harry laughed and motioned for her to start walking. They walked back to the tower their hands linked, basking in the love they had for each other.

When they entered the common room they saw that most of the girls had gone to their dorm while Hermione was hanging around waiting for them to return. Harry and Ginny walked up to them as Hermione asked "So it's sorted out?".

Ginny nodded, her face turning serious at the thought and then became mischievous as she smirked and declared " _And_ I need to speak to you in private. So let's go to our dorm away from all these boys". Hermione laughed as she quipped back "me too Gin, me too" and rapidly gathered her bag.

Bidding adieu to the boys they rapidly made their way to the dorm where Hermione was sure to cast a privacy spell. The last thing they needed was for Lavender or Parvati to overhear their conversation. The situation was a mess as it is without this being added to the mix.

Ginny's face was excited as she turned to Hermione and asked breathlessly " _So_? You and Draco? Is it true?" She demanded. Hermione blushed as she nodded "Yes…he asked me to be his girlfriend and I said yes" she said hesitantly " _But?_? What is bothering you Mione?" Ginny asked, astute as ever.

Hermione sighed as she deflated "I am afraid that what we feel for each other is based on physical attraction and extenuating circumstances. Perhaps if the situation was normal we would not feel this at all" she said despondently casting out her hands. "I still don't know enough of him Gin, maybe we are rushing into it" she fretted.

Ginny listened " _hmm_. Okay I get your worry but tell me one thing. I don't know all the intricate details but I assume you guys were involved in some dangerous situations"...she looked to Hermione for confirmation and when Hermione nodded she continued "and did Draco get hurt in any of them?" asked.

Hermione nodded mutely not knowing where Ginny was going with this. Ginny however continued "okay…when he came back injured what was your first thought? Jeez thank goodness that he still looks good! Or thank Merlin! He's safe?

Hermione gave her an incredulous look "Gin! Who would think about looks when someone is injured?" she asked in a rising voice. Ginny smirked "you would be surprised if I tell you that there are some morons out there, who are in it for just the physical part and would react exactly that way! So going by your reaction, it is obvious that there is some amount of caring involved."

"Yes I care, but is that enough…I mean I care for Harry and Ron as well" Hermione rebutted but Ginny came back with her own question. "Was there any situation where Draco was stuck with either Ron or Harry in a dangerous situation?" she asked.

Hermione nodded thinking of Malfoy Manor as Ginny asked "Ron or Harry?" she asked as Hermione answered in a small voice "Harry". Ginny took a deep breath and plodded on "well who was on your mind more? Draco or Harry?" she asked bluntly.

Hermione thought back to the day and answered slowly "Draco" with dawning realization as Ginny grinned triumphantly. She spread out her hand as if to say "see.." before muttering "although I am going to have a word with Harry. The guy seems to be in trouble all the time".

However she put it aside and continued the conversation steering it back to Hermione "Mione, I agree that the situation is not ideal, but seriously we are _teenagers_. None of us have gone into a relationship with all the conditions in place. The ideal relationship I suspect does not even exist. I mean my parents have been married for donkey's years and you mean to tell me that they don't have problems?" she asked.

Hermione shook her head "That's exactly the problem Gin…we have not fought and not talked regular stuff" she lamented while adding "but it still feels intense." Ginny exhaled noisily "tell me about it. Mione, you might be older to me but this is one area where I have had more experience."

"Look, you and Draco are both intense people so your relationship is bound to be intense. It is just unfortunate that it had to happen when everything is going to hell around us but it does not mean it is anything less than real. On the contrary, your relationship is being forged under extreme stress which means anything that comes after is going to be easier" she said with a serious expression on her face.

"Let's face it Mione, you and I have fallen for, _yes_ I say fallen because I can see it in you, for I repeat complicated people with baggage. It's not going to be normal, possibly ever. So don't go looking for normal things with Draco, it's not going to happen. Moreover it might just bore you" she smirked.

"So I just go ahead?" Hermione asked tentatively as Ginny nodded vehemently. "Take it one step at a time; it is bound to be difficult for him too. But don't give up on something great just because it is different, and moreover he is gorgeous to boot. So just relax and let yourself go Mione, for once" she said before grinning with a twinkle in her eye and asking "So is he a great kisser?" as Hermione blushed a bright red.

"When did you get so wise Gin?" Hermione asked in wonder as Ginny replied "when I started dating Harry" drily. Hermione laughed as Ginny stuck to her original question.

"Come on, you _have_ to tell me" she pressed as Hermione nodded unable to keep from blushing madly. Ginny laughed aloud as Hermione gave her a false shove and said "perhaps we should head down to dinner. I am already tired. It's been one hell of a day".

"You could definitely say that" Ginny agreed as they both started walking out of the dorm to the common room. As they stood at the entrance to the common room Ginny stopped, holding back Hermione. Hermione looked at her quizzically and noticed the distress on the young girl's face who had just a few minutes back been joking. Her heart went out to her friend and braced herself for what was coming.

"Mione what is this new thing about being the anchor. _Why Harry,_ Mione? Why is it him all the time? And I don't know if I can do this Mione. How can _I_ hurt him? I can't bear to see him in pain. How are you so calm about that?" she fretted wringing her hands.

Hermione laid a hand on her friend's hand stilling the motion and drew her into a hug. "I know Gin, I know. Harry's already suffered so much but remember we are fighting so that he can live to be happy. We are fighting for our lives and happiness Gin. I am not sure I can do this either, _I mean_ it terrifies me to think that I would have to hurt Draco, but then I remind myself that the boys are turning to us to be brave and it is time for us to do our bit".

"Come on Gin, let us teach the monster what Gryffindors are made of. Let us show him what happens when our boyfriends are threatened and we are angry. This is just a way of fighting back. Merlin knows it's hard but we will have to be tougher…okay?" she said.

Ginny took a deep breath and nodded in grim determination "okay I get that, I really do. Let's show the bastard. No Hermione let the language be. There is really no other word for him. And now, let's go and collect the boys. I am sure that Ron must be cursing us already" she grinned.

 **Author notes** : First of all I apologize for the long delay. December was pure madness and Jan wound up being equally so! I believe the story will get on track from now on. This chapter is dedicated to those readers who wanted some Harry Ginny moments and I hope you were happy with it. I know that I enjoyed writing it. I would like to reiterate once again that your reviews are my beta read so please do read and review. See you on the other side of the next chapter and stay tuned for more horcrux hunts, wandless magic and romance of course!


	37. Chapter 37 moving forward

**Chapter 37 Moving forward**

 **Disclaimer:** Just refer to the earlier chapters…I promise that nothing has changed.

Ginny turned out to be right as Ron was more than ready for dinner. They trudged to the Great Hall and back and soon hit their beds as they were really exhausted with the knowledge of the impending hardships.

Harry turned and tossed for a long time tormented with the thoughts of the vinculum potion. It was bad enough that he was stuck in the war against Voldemort and he had long since accepted it. He believed that he had truly become a child of fate but the situation was becoming very serious with all his friends caught in the crossfire. 'All his friends' he thought wryly….who would have imagined that one day he would consider Draco Malfoy a friend. And yet, he had measured up, Yeah he was quite alright he thought as finally sleep crept upon him.

The morning found the trio in the Great Hall discussing the lesson they had with Snape in the evening and Hermione unconsciously found her eyes wandering to the Slytherin table. Harry caught the look and grinned at her meaningfully, while nudging her to bring her attention back to the conversation.

Soon the day sped past with their regular classes and Hermione found herself commenting "It must be so boring for Draco to be stuck in the rooms by himself during the day" to Harry at lunchtime. Harry nodded and replied "Yes I can imagine…I am sure that in his place I would have gone stir crazy, perhaps he should just return to classes."

"You mean with the resorting and all?" Hermione whispered as Harry vigorously nodded and asked "Did he think about it all?". Hermione bit her lip and slowly shook her head in the negative "with everything that happened in between there was simply no time to discuss this" she confessed sadly.

"Yeah…if everything had gone according to plan he would have been back in the classes a long while ago. 'You-Know-Who' messed up the plans didn't he?" Harry said while playing on the word pun eliciting a surprised look from Hermione. "You and Ginny…when did you change so much" she asked in wonder. Harry laughed and retorted "probably at the same time you did. You do realize that you are in the process of change right? What with the God of pratness himself?" he teased.

Hermione laughed back and she turned to admonish Ron on his messy table manners. Soon they were done and it was time to finish the rest of the classes for the day. At the end of the day they once again found themselves walking down to the dungeons to find Draco opening the door with a smile on his face.

Harry and Ron were stunned and Ron said as much exclaiming "Hermione what did you do to him? He is actually smiling…never knew he could do that" he teased as Draco scowled. Harry was quick to comment on the scowl too as he said "Now that is the Draco we all know and love" as Draco jumped in with an indignant "hey!." "Even you guys are welcome after being alone for the whole day" he grumbled as they settled on the couch to wait for Snape to come.

Soon they heard the door open as Snape entered and headed to the couch. "I will ask the elves to deliver some snacks and then we can get to the lessons" he said without preamble and proceeded to order tea and cookies for everyone. Once everyone had started on the cookies and tea he addressed them saying "I thought we could try a wandless protego. It is very important that you learn to shield yourself effectively. Under normal circumstance I would have followed the school curriculum but now I am afraid we should just attempt to learn what could save our lives out there" he said simply before turning to Harry. " have you talked to ?" he asked.

"Yes sir, she has agreed to be my anchor" Harry affirmed as he asked "So when do we the do the ritual professor?".Snape looked thoughtful for a moment before answering "We will have to remove the bond that Draco has with me before getting into the ritual. Assuming that the headmaster is free I will endeavor to sever the bond tomorrow and provided that there are no lasting effects from it, we can do the anchoring ritual the day after. Does that sound acceptable to you all?" he questioned the teenagers.

They nodded as Harry muttered "the sooner the better…but what if you are summoned before then Sir?" he asked gravely. Snape nodded to himself looking thoughtful "It is a distinct possibility; I cannot deny that, purely because it has been a long time since the last summons. It is also important that you be aware that the vinculum potion will be completed from my side in the next two days. It would have been completed even earlier but then I have extended it to give us time to enact the counter which I will start brewing this evening after our session."

"Will you be able to finish the potion on time Sir?" Ron asked in a worried tone. "Don't worry the reason the Dark Lord's potion took a long time was that I took advantage of his ignorance and started brewing only two days earlier. We needed the time to research an antidote and this was a way that I could ensure we had time. For your sakes, I hope he summons me later than the day after and not before, and even if he does, I will come up with something. Anyway let us worry about that later and get onto our lesson shall we?" Snape said getting up.

The others followed Snape to the living where all the furniture had been banished to the side. Snape then addressed the trio "Draco has already tried the levitation charm but unfortunately we don't have the time to do that now. So let us go onto the shield charm. Please form a line so that you can try casting one after another. I will be on the other side and cast stinging hexes at you and you will attempt to shield yourself from it. Now get into position" he said in teacher mode, just without the anger which was really too mind boggling considering that this was _Snape._

They fell into a line with Harry in front and Draco bringing up the rear. He stood with his wand extended and waited for Snape to give instructions. "Potter lay your wand down" Snape said and waited for Harry to put down his wand. "Now visualize your hand as an extension of your wand. Now close your eyes and concentrate on the magic pooled in your stomach and will it to move across your chest, your shoulders and into your arms" he instructed as Harry closed his eyes and followed the instructions.

"Tell me when you can feel the magic in your arms" he said and waited for Harry to nod signalling his readiness. "For now, you may call out the incantation softly and _will_ the magic in your arms to burst out of your fingertips. Convince yourself that the opponent's hex cannot reach you. Imagine that you are in a cocoon and there is a sheath around you that is protecting you from the hexes. Alright? Now I am going to try and hit you with the stinging hex and you will shield" Snape called out as Harry opened his eyes and nodded to show that he was ready.

Snape shot the stinging hex just as Harry whispered "Protego" and pointed his hand at Snape. Nothing however happened as the stinging hex grazed his forearm bringing a reflex hiss of pain to his lips. He shook his hand to relax the muscles before taking the stance again "Can I try again Sir?" he asked his face screwed up in concentration.

Snape gave a short nod and assumed his stance. "Just give me a minute to get ready Sir" Harry requested. Snape kept silent as Harry closed his eyes and concentrated on the feel of the magic in his hand. He could feel the heaviness centred in his forearm and proceeded to imagine a sheath around himself. He thought of a warm cocoon and quickly nodded to Snape to cast again.

This time Harry was ready. He willed the magic to flow out of his hand and there was a collective gasp as a wisp of what looked like a blue light floated out of his hand and flattened itself over his body. The hex grazed off the sheath and even though the sheath was not strong enough to totally deflect the hex it definitely lessened the impact.

Harry let a small smile play on his face as Snape acknowledged the effort with a quick nod. "Good effort Potter but far from what we want. Now let the others have their turn." He said. Harry stepped aside to let Ron try his hand followed by the others. At the end of two hours of intense practice Harry and Draco had decent shields while Hermione and Ron had only wisps though all of them sported a great deal of grazes from the stinging hexes.

Snape got a salve for the grazes and immediately Draco took it from his hand and led Hermione softly to the couch. With tenderness that no one could believe Draco to be capable of; he applied the salve to the cuts on her arms. Harry grinned with a twinkle in his eye as Hermione blushed furiously and took the cream to tend to Draco in turn.

"How touching" Harry quipped as Draco glared. Harry laughed as he gestured to the cream in Hermione's hand "Mione I do believe we were your friends first…this is not fair" he said in a false whine as Ron also joined in the false complaint. Hermione laughed and beckoned him and Ron over as she fussed over them too.

"I do believe that all this saccharine is getting a bit much, no?" Snape drawled as the teenagers blushed and hurriedly got to their feet. "I would say that the three of you could get to dinner and go to your dorms as we dissolve my bond with Draco, but I doubt that you would listen. So instead of arguing over this, maybe you could summon your elf friend Potter and ask for some dinner to be delivered for us as I talk to Dumbledore over the floo. _Now_ Potter if you will" he directed and made his way to the floo.

As Harry summoned Dobby and conveyed his request, Snape had asked Dumbledore to step through and in a few minutes Dumbledore had joined them. After going through the pleasantries, during which the food had got consumed, he gestured for Draco and Snape to step forward.

The other three stepped to the side giving them a wide berth. Dumbledore swished his wand and conjured a circle on the floor around which he started to incant runic structures. Harry took Hermione's hand as her heart started to race. The last time they did something like this she had an unconscious duo on her hands and this time also they were not sure of the results.

As Dumbledore continued his incantations the air became heavy with magic and soon they saw a thread of light exit from Draco's chest and hover in the air before entering the potions professor's chest. By this time both of them had sunk to their knees and were taking ragged breaths. There was a fine sheath of sweat on Draco's face and he was unusually pale. The only sound in the room was Ron's awed "blimey!"

As Dumbledore stopped his incantation and conjured a chair for himself, Hermione rushed to Draco's side as Harry went to Snape. "Get the strengthening potion from the cupboard in the dining room Potter" Snape gasped. Motioning for Ron to be at Snape's side Harry rushed to get the bottles. He handed one to Snape while he handed another to Hermione.

The wizards downed the potion and immediately the color in their faces became better. Soon they were sitting up straight. "Perhaps you both can order a bit of hot chocolate and retire to bed as we make our way out" Dumbledore suggested.

"Yes that seems to be a good idea" Snape agreed as he and Draco got to their feet. Hermione still had a hand on his arm to stabilize him although he no longer needed it. She quickly gave him a short hug and bade him good night and the trio made their way out of the dungeons .Dumbledore took the floo having also bid good night.

"So I take it that you and Miss Granger are a couple"? Snape enquired sipping on his hot chocolate. Draco took a sip from his mug and answered with a nod "yes I asked her. I hope you have no objections?" he enquired tentatively. A rare smile graced Snape's features "no Draco you made a wise choice. With her you can never go wrong" he said and then added as an afterthought "Now if I ever hear you repeat that, you will be scrubbing cauldrons for the rest of your life".

Draco laughed and got to his feet yawning "I guess I better get to bed. Are you going to work on the potion now?" he asked seriously not even wanting to think about the vinculum potion. It had been a good few hours without the potion hanging over their heads and it had been an enjoyable time but now it was back to haunt him. Snape nodded and Draco asked "So are we doing the ritual tomorrow?" his face becoming shadowed.

"Yes Draco better to do so at the earliest. But do not worry about it now. Let's take one step at a time. Once the ritual is done I also need you to think about getting back to classes. We will discuss that at breakfast but I do hope you have thought about resorting. However that is a discussion for later, now get to bed" he said making his way to his potions lab.

"The following day was going to be a tension filled one in a series of tension filled days" Draco thought when another thought hit him and brought a smile to his face "but the one redeeming thing right now in his life was Hermione". The very thought of her made him feel warm knowing that there was one soul out there who would fight for him, feel for him and dare he say? Love him.

 **Author notes** : Thank you for sticking with me through the delays…I will definitely try to put up chapters regularly. In the meantime I invite you to check out another fic of mine called For Me which is more Harry centric. Thanks once again and needless to say, the more the reviews the more the chapters! Can't help it, it seems to be a law of nature in the fanfiction world.!


	38. Chapter 38 I am your anchor

**Chapter 36 I am your anchor**

 **Disclaimer** : Nothing that you have not heard before!

 **Warning** : for mild language and violence.

The day dawned with the realization that it was time to enact the antidote to the vinculum potion. The thought was terrifying to behold in the minds of both Hermione as well as Ginny. Harry and Draco were tense in their own right as the day could prove to be very stressful. Therefore it was with trepidation that the five of them made their way to the room of requirement at the behest of Severus Snape.

Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape were already present when the teenagers entered the room. A narrow bed much in the style of the ones in the hospital wing adorned the centre of the room. Severus Snape moved to meet them as they entered the room. He had kept out a row of vials ready and the teenagers did not want to know what their uses could be.

"We don't have much time at our disposal. The vinculum potion is ready and I might be summoned at any time. Now who wants to go first?" he asked without any preamble.

Harry looked around and saw the ashen look on Hermione's face. "I will go first Sir" he volunteered quietly. He felt rather than saw Ginny tense beside him as she protested weakly "Harry I don't know if I can do this…please can't we go later?" she pleaded.

Harry looked at her and reached for her hand. Holding her hand he placed it gently on his chest and looked into her eyes. "Gin, I would rather get it over with. Please let's finish this" he said softly. Mesmerised by the determined look in his eyes Ginny nodded mutely.

Harry turned to Snape "what should we do sir?" he asked crisply. Snape held out a vial containing a blood red liquid. "Miss Weasley, this is the vinculum potion. We need to add a drop of your blood to it so that you can counteract the pull from our side. Are you ready?" he asked looking at Ginny who had a rather dazed look.

At Harry's prompt she held out her hand and watched with revulsion as a drop of her blood was added to the potion. Closing her eyes she gulped it down and was relieved when a glass of water was pressed into her hand soon after. The procedure had not even started and she was already at the point where all she wanted was to run away from the room.

" if you would remove your shirt and get onto the bed we can get started on inscribing the anchor" Severus Snape said, his voice reflecting the reluctance and distaste of having to say the words. Harry sighed and moved towards the bed while at the same time removing his robe and shirt. He lay down and took a deep breath to calm himself.

Ginny followed him and her heart started to pound as Snape pressed a small dagger in her hand. "It needs to scar " Severus Snape said, his eyes shadowed with deep regret. Not for the first time he rued the world where children were being forced to go through agonizing circumstances. These were teenagers meant to be happy and stealing kisses and laughs behind the stones not hurt each other to be safe.

Ginny almost dropped the dagger that felt so heavy in her hand and was startled when she felt Harry grip her hand firmly but gently. Her pulse was hammering a beat at her temples and her palms felt sweaty. By God! She could not do this….she felt the panic flare inside her and she felt fear beyond what she had experienced in her life.

She felt a slight tug on her hand as Harry said "Gin look at me" he commanded. "You can do this okay? _You_ are strong... stronger than anyone I know and you love me. That is what is going to save me. I am here and the others are here. You can do _this_ _and nothing will happen to me. I will be fine_ " he stressed as he held her hand with the dagger and guided her to a spot above his breastbone.

"I love you" he said holding her gaze deeply as he applied pressure on her hand and forced the dagger to pierce the skin. "Harry no!" Ginny panicked almost wrenching her hand from his. "I can't do this…I can't do this…oh my God! Harry I can't do this" the words came out hysterical from Ginny as the dagger fell from her hand.

"Ron" Harry called out and Ron understood. He stood behind Ginny and brought the dagger back to her hand. "Gin, we don't have time. If you don't do this Voldemort will take Harry" he whispered. At his words Ginny sought to control herself and wiping her eyes she positioned her hand over Harry's chest again, this time with more determination.

Swiftly she drew the dagger over his breastbone outlining the universal symbol for love. The lines were faint and barely scratched the surface. "Deeper" Snape instructed and with anguish outlining every inch of her face Ginny pressed the blade deeper. Harry grunted with the pain and a fine layer of sweat appeared on his skin. Ron moved to Harry and held out his hand. Harry clasped the outstretched hand in a tight grip as he rode out the pain.

He clenched his fists but did not stop looking at Ginny. He was only vaguely aware of Hermione standing with tears of her own and being supported by Draco. It seemed many minutes before the deed was done. Ginny immediately let the dagger clatter to the floor and collapsed to the floor where she was helped by Ron,

He guided her to the sofa where she sank down with her face in her hands while sobs tore out of her body. Hermione moved to comfort her as Ron helped Harry get out of the bed. Snape pressed a blood replenishing potion in Harry's hands and then followed it with a pain killer. He then efficiently bandaged the wound and let Harry make his way to his girlfriend who had yet to become composed.

"Draco perhaps we should get on with yours now" Snape called out and it was Hermione's turn to become tense. Harry moved to Draco and laid a hand on his shoulder offering his support as the duo got up to face their ordeal. The two boys clasped hands and Draco made his way to the now once again pristine bed.

Dumbledore who had been watching all this with the twinkle noticeably absent from his eyes spoke for the first time. "I am sorry to say this, but there is one fact that we need to keep in mind. Draco's scar is considerably bigger than Harry's, Severus would that matter in this scenario?" he asked looking at the potions master with sadness written on his countenance.

Snape looked up in alarm as the possibility hit him. "It might have an impact, I am not sure. Perhaps you might need to make a rather big scar I am afraid, just to be on the safe side" he said with clear regret in his eyes. This was his Godson; damn it! and they were talking casually about carving him up. If things were up to him he would gladly kill Voldemort and smile about it.

" _ **What**_?" Hermione gasped shocked with the new problem. As it is, she was not sure if she could go through with it. She did not have the courage that Ginny did. But to carve Draco up like a turkey…this was unexpected and she blanched at the prospect.

Draco took one look at Hermione and knew that she was on the verge of chickening out. Damn these Gryffindors he cursed and their noble mentality. They would get hurt but not hurt others. It was an alien concept to the Slytherin self preservation. He huffed mentally and decided that it was time to take control as he said "Can I have a private word with Hermione…please?" he requested.

"Make it quick" Snape instructed as Draco moved forward and led Hermione away from the others and was glad that a curtain appeared to give them some privacy. Draco turned to Hermione and "I don't want you to be shocked by what you see in front of everyone. I want you to see my scar now so that you know what to do" he said looking dearly vulnerable as well as strong at the same time. Without giving her a chance to recover from the shocking statement, he proceeded to remove his robe and shirt giving her an unobstructed view of his chest for the first time.

Hermione blushed and bowed her head but Draco gently lifted her chin so that their eyes were at the same level. "If anyone has the right it is you Mione" he said in a whisper as Hermione reluctantly looked at his chest. But on seeing the dreaded letters carved on his chest she could not control the anger and sadness that swept over her. " _Oh my God Draco_! The monsters…how could they do this to you?" she gasped as the tears gathered in her eyes.

Draco shrugged as Hermione ghosted her hand over each of the letters and followed it with a tender kiss. The feel of her lips on his chest almost made Draco come undone and he relished in the feel of it as he whispered "now you know what you have to do". Hermione looked at him with tears in her eyes as she said "But it is so big…I can't hurt you like this Draco. How will I be different from them?" she cried.

Draco drew her to him and Hermione was distracted for a minute by the smoothness of his skin. He felt warm and his chiselled chest was hard as a rock. She laid her head on his chest and listened to the beat of his heart and heard his words resonate through his chest.

"Sweetheart listen, I know that you love me in your own way and this is not going to change anything. It is only going to bring us closer…okay?. You can do this, you are the bravest person I know and you have to do this. They created the scar to show that they hate me, you are going to create a scar to show that you love me. Look I am not going to say that I am not afraid. I am but I know that I am surrounded by brave people who will fight for me. Will you fight for me…please?" he demanded vehemently as he sealed the words with a searing kiss. Honey brown and molten silver locked in an intense gaze and Hermione felt herself agreeing to the demand.

"I will Draco…I am going to fight for you. I love you and I am not letting any dark lord get to you" she said with fierce determination. Draco smiled at the fire in her eyes "Good. Now that's my Gryffindor. Come let's get back. We have delayed too much" he said and drew aside the curtain. There seemed to be no point in wearing the shirt as he would just have to remove it again.

He held Hermione's hand and led her to the bed where he dropped her hand to sit on the bed. He was aware of Ron and Ginny's shocked expression at the letters carved on his chest and knew that the muted " _Merlin!"_ from Ron was aimed at his scar. Harry however remained quiet as he was not really surprised and Draco made a note of that.

"Draco, it might be a better idea if you lay down on your stomach so that the anchoring scar could be done on your back" Snape said and Draco realized that it was probably because his chest was already filled with another scar. He nodded and lay on his stomach. Snape conjured a small bar in front of Draco and motioned that he could hold onto it if he wanted to.

Draco once again nodded and reached out to clasp the bar tightly. He then turned to Hermione and gave her an encouraging smile. Hermione's face had frozen in terror as she also went through the same potion that Ginny had and now held the dagger in her hand. Draco felt relieved to see that Harry had stepped up to Hermione and gently laid a hand on her shoulder.

" , please remember that you need to make a big scar" Snape said his voice coming out hoarse. He then walked to the sofa and sat heavily "Albus please take over, I do not want to see this" he said his eyes reflecting the anguish pooled in them.

Dumbledore moved forward and gripped Draco's shoulder lightly to let him know that all was set and looked at Hermione to check her readiness. Hermione found that her feet were frozen and she stood dazed "Please …we need you to be strong. We know that the situation is taxing but you have the strength to meet it. Draco needs your strength my dear," Dumbledore encouraged.

"Mione, you can do this come on" Harry whispered in her ear as he guided her hand to Draco's back. "Mione what's your scar?" he asked and Hermione looked at him with haunted eyes.. "I don't know….Harry oh my God! I don't know…I don't know" she mumbled her voice breaking with tears and hysteria. "Shh…Mione …it's ok. what do you feel about Draco?" Harry asked her softly as he leaned forward so that she could rest against him.

"I love him…I think..Harry I love him" by now the tears were flowing in earnest and she was close to a breakdown "Write it down Mione….that's your scar. That's your strength, your secret" Harry commanded hating himself for the role he was playing but the situation demanded it. The prospect of failure was far more terrifying. That would be a death warrant for Draco for sure.

Hermione looked at Harry with traumatized eyes and was jolted into action when Draco said firmly "Do it Mione…now. I am not that fragile..I will be alright. Do it…Harry help her" he commanded. Harry nodded and reached forward to hold Hermione's hand in a firm grip. He then guided her hand so that the tip of the blade now rested on Draco's back. He felt Draco flinch and quickly drew the blade down in a straight line with a fair amount of pressure.

He felt sick as he watched the cut well with blood but consoled himself with the fact that it would soon be treated. He then guided her hand a little away to carve out the next words…By the time the next word was inscribed, Draco's head was bowed in between his hands and his knuckles gleamed white on the bar that he grasped with a tight grip.

His whole body was bathed in sweat and small grunts of pain had begun to escape him as his mind grappled with the flashbacks from his time with Avery Rookwood.

He told himself that this was different and this would save him but the searing pain made the whole thing rather difficult.

For his part, Harry felt his fortitude being stretched to the limit as he guided Hermione once again to the next few letters. He was thankful for the fact that Hermione had regained some of her fierce determination back and was now more in control of what she was doing. He was merely her moral support, as the situation was rather nerve wracking.

He realized that Ron had fallen silent and was affected by what was happening even as Ginny moved forward to stand beside Draco. She threaded her hand through Draco's hair seeking to offer comfort in whatever way she could. All of them were suffering, Draco and Hermione most of all. Hermione had done her part through her tears and Harry was very proud of both the girls for their strength.

His heart also clenched for the pain that the blond Slytherin had been forced to bear, much more than what he himself had been subjected to. The light haired boy had faced much more than what anyone had to be subjected to and Harry knew what was to come would be worse.

Harry had never felt gladder than when the ordeal was over and he finally allowed Hermione to step back. Hermione immediately dropped the dagger and turned to find solace in Harry's chest. Her hand had fisted in his shirt as sobs wracked her body. Harry held her as a brother would and gently ran a hand over her head in a soothing motion. He led her to the sofa much as Ginny had been and let her cry herself out.

Draco's back was a bloody mess by now and everyone could see that he was weakened when he slowly let go of the bar and struggled to sit up. Ron rushed forward and helped the dizzy Slytherin as Severus Snape quickly administered the blood replenishing potion as well as the strengthening potion. He then quickly wound bandages over the wound and was in the process of doing the final bind when he felt the burn in his left hand.

"Damn it! He is calling….I have to go. Albus tend to the kids and hold the fort. Harry, Draco be ready for the next assault. You have been brave but the real test comes. Stay strong, Stay safe" he said quickly as he walked out of the room. He could not deny the gnawing fear that ate at him and he prayed that whatever these kids had gone through would bear fruit …

 **Author notes:** I am very sorry for the long delay but then my other fanfic had taken a bit of my time. It became a tussle between Harry and Draco and I am glad to say that I am now finding the balance between both the fics! However I will not stop saying that nice words do the trick and so please read and review. .


	39. Author note 3

**Author note 3**

Hi everyone! This is a quick note to let you know that chapter 38 has been uploaded but for some reason the email notification is missing. Please do read and review.


	40. Chapter 40 strength of love

**Chapter 37 strength of love**

 **Disclaimer** : None of the characters belong to me...they belong to Madam Rowling and team.

Warning for very mild language.

 **Severus Snape POV**

Severus pulled up his mental shields and hurried to where the death eaters were assembled. He fingered the vial of the vinculum potion that he carried in the pocket of his robe and hoped against hope that the Dark Lord would not use it now. The boys would be barely recovered from the anchoring ritual but knowing the Dark Lord, he knew that it was a futile wish. The Dark Lord had summoned him for a reason and for one reason only. At that moment he hated his position as a potions master with all his heart.

"Welcome Severus, assume your position" he heard the Dark Lord proclaim even as he continued to address his followers. "My devoted servants, you must be eager to know as to why I summoned you today. Severus here has brought to us a most wonderful concoction. He has brought a brew that will summon Potter as well as Draco Malfoy here. By nightfall rest assured that both the hindrances will be at your feet to do as you wish before they are silenced permanently" he declared.

Severus Snape fought to rein in his emotions as his heart beat an unsteady tattoo on hearing the dreaded words. He desperately hoped that their guess at the antidote was the correct one and that the youngsters had enough strength to withstand the onslaught. His heart clenched as if squeezed by an invisible hand and tension thrummed through him as he wordlessly handed over the vinculum potion to the evil man standing before him.

"Dagger" Voldemort commanded as one of his followers handed over a small knife. Voldemort added the necessary drop of blood to the potion and swallowed it in one mouthful. He then drew his wand and waved it in a circular potion as he intoned " _veni ad me_ " in an undertone. Severus Snape closed his eyes and he inwardly prayed for the potion to fail.

 **Room of requirement**

The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife in the moments following Severus Snape's exit. Harry had finished binding Draco's torso and was now listening to Dumbledore who was explaining the wand movement and the incantation that Hermione and Ginny were to use. He made a note of the words " _veni ad me_ " and winced as he realized that it translated to mean 'come to me'. He glanced at Draco and saw that he had got the meaning too which was really no surprise as Draco with his pureblood upbringing had definitely been exposed to more Latin than he.

" please add your incantantion to your sister's so that there is more power to her spell while I will add my wand to Miss Granger's" Dumbledore instructed as Ron nodded his assent. No sooner had the words left his mouth than Harry felt the faint stirrings of a tug at his forehead. He glanced at Draco to see that he had placed his hand on his chest and his face was pulled in a grimace. He saw the blood drain from Hermione's face and Ginny go ashen at the gesture and he said in a quiet voice "It is starting Sir".

What started as a mild tug soon escalated in intensity and Harry found himself desperately clutching his scar and trying to keep from doubling over in pain. He dimly realized that Ginny had now positioned herself in front of him and kept her wand ready to start the incantation at the signal from Dumbledore.

Draco on his part was already panting and his breath was coming out in a harsh staccato as he fought to fight against the weight that was now sinking into his chest. He felt as though a hook had been positioned within his chest and he felt his chest grow heavy with the intrusion. He clenched his fists and he felt the sweat bead his brow as he gritted his teeth to keep the pain at bay. He dared not look at the others although he realized that Harry would have started feeling the same thing as him. He felt rather than saw Harry bend forward as the pain spiked in his scar.

Draco also hunched forward trying to ease the heaviness in his chest and hoped that the moment would pass soon. However it only got worse as he felt a gigantic tug from within his chest and he shouted in pain even as he was jerked forward like a fish being reeled in. The summons had started in earnest.

He fell to his knees and scrabbled for a hold on the floor even as the tug intensified. His whole chest felt like it was being ripped out and the pain resonated deep within his innards. He could hardly breathe by now and fear gripped his whole being as he realized that his body was being pulled forward inch by inch even as he resisted the tug. His eyes opened wide in alarm and pain as he looked up to see Hermione have an equally alarmed expression while Dumbledore looked calmly reassuring.

Dumbledore nodded looking at Hermione and he saw the both of them raise their wands and start the incantation of their own. At the same time he registered the fact that Ginny and Ron were doing the same in front of Harry who was also now on the floor and doubled up in pain with his hand plastered to his scar.

As Hermione and Dumbledore kept up the spell he felt the anchor take hold. He was not sure if this was better or worse because now he was being tugged forward as well as being tugged backwards. He was dismayed to find that what started as a mild tug on his back was also gathering strength with time as Hermione and Dumbledore maintained the spell.

As the time grew, the spell gathered intensity and his flesh felt like it was being torn from him as the opposing forces fought for control. His body was now the piece of bone that both the dogs wanted. The pain escalated steadily until he was aware of nothing else. It was all encompassing and his whole world now revolved around the pain. If only, he could give in for just a moment and go wherever he had to go just to be relieved from the pain.' _Oh Merlin!This was agony_ ' he thought.

By now, the pain had become as intense as it could and his back arched as the pain filled his whole being and a scream tore out of his throat. The pain was crippling him from the inside out and there was nothing he could do to disengage the hook that was now tearing his chest cavity apart. Lost in pain, he was barely aware of the screams coming from his mouth or of the distressed expression on his friend's faces as they stood by unable to release him from his suffering.

Nothing registered in his consciousness anymore except the deep hook that was determined to pull him to the Dark Lord's side and the hook that now pulled him back and kept him anchored in the room.

His whole existence was centred on the pain that now emanated from his chest and back even as he fought to breathe through the heaviness lodged in his chest. Small sobs tore out of him as he unconsciously begged for release. Tears of pain were leaking out of his eyes and his face and hairline were streaked wet even as silent pleas of "please let me go" echoed within him.

As the time stretched almost unbearably, the small recesses of his brain that functioned above the pain told him that the antidote was working. He had _not_ been pulled to the Dark Lord's side after all. The Dark Lord had taken everything from him and he was _**not**_ going to go to him willingly or otherwise.

He was a strong wizard and it was bloody time that he lived up to the Malfoy blood that ran in his veins whether his father approved or not. It was time to show the Dark Lord how stubborn he could be and let him know that he was not a puppet that could be pulled on strings. He was tired of this pain and it was time to stop it …or at least do his bit to stop it. It was time to take back control. He had the faint inkling of an idea and decided that it was time to test it straightened his body from the curled up fetal position he had unconsciously assumed and sat up slowly.

His friends shot alarmed glances as he slipped a couple of times before sitting up Indian style. He gritted his teeth in new found determination and closed his eyes to wrest back some control over his body. "No…no You are not getting me" he chanted over and over again in his mind before falling silent and calmly letting his mind and heart fill up with his feelings of love and friendship.

As his mind played with the image of him and Hermione…Hermione looking at him with undisguised affection even as she ran her fingers through his hair….Hermione sitting by his bedside linking her fingers through his in unmistakable love…he felt the grip on his chest lesson a mite.

Seizing the infinitesimal let up of the pull he let more images play on his mind. He remembered the casual banter that he had with Harry and the others and he let the feelings of love and friendships fill him up from the inside. As he felt the love for Hermione and his friends swell up, correspondingly he felt the grip lesson until it was abruptly withdrawn, making him stagger forward with a gasp.

Shakily he took a deep breath and let his muscles relax wearily as he lay down on the floor. He was bone tired and the pain was still radiating within him in muted tones. "You can stop now...it is gone" he said his voice coming out raspy and hoarse. Hermione let her shoulders sag and exhaled as she immediately crouched near Draco and gathered him in a hug " _Oh my God! Draco_ …I was so scared…I don't want to do anything like this ever again" she breathed holding him close. She was crying he realised even as he felt her tears sink into his exposed shoulder.

Draco sagged against her, boneless as the ordeal of the last hour hit him hard but he could not afford to completely relax. Harry was still suffering and he had to help. He nudged Hermione and rasped "we have to help Harry" and was rewarded by her immediate action as she moved away from him.

Dumbledore had now moved to help Ginny and Ron and Draco slowly made his way to Harry too. Draco glanced at the others to see what had transpired in the moments that he was under the spell and saw that Ron was on the verge of tears himself. Ginny had tears on her face and her expression was part desperate and part angry for what her boyfriend was yet again undergoing even as she continued to hold her wand and chant the mantra.

He made his way and crouched near Harry who was now in a foetal position and had tears of pain in his eyes as well. He leaned towards his friend and gently spoke in his ear "Harry the key is love….think of all the good times…think of the love you have for Ginny and let it fill you up…the hold will be defeated. The hate has to be overpowered by love".

For a moment he was not sure that his words had registered in the mind of his suffering friend but a slow small nod from his friend showed that it had indeed. After seemingly interminable minutes Harry's frame showed some signs of relaxation as he slowly uncurled from his position and struggled to sit up. Hermione rushed to help her friend and held him as he sagged against her shoulder as he waited for his strength to return.

"It is ok…you can stop now" he said his voice equally raspy as he addressed those who were still wielding the wand. Immediately the others rushed to his side and helped him up as Dumbledore requested the room to provide two beds. Draco made his way to one of the beds and toppled onto it totally drained as Harry did the same with the other bed.

Dumbledore pressed a vial of pain killer in their hands and helped them drain it down before conjuring some more chairs for the others to sink into. For the next few moments total silence reigned as everyone took the time to recover from the horrible last one hour and it was only broken when Hermione exclaimed "Draco! Your back is bleeding" in a horrified voice.

Draco groaned and sat up reluctantly "I am so tired Mione...all I want to do is sleep" he muttered as he attempted to get the bleariness out of his eyes. Dumbledore vanished the bandages on the young man's torso to find that the recently made scar on his back had indeed started bleeding due to the pressure that had been exerted when the spell had been cast.

He then quickly dressed the wounds and bandaged them finishing with a wave of his wand to dress the young boy in hospital pyjamas. He then did the same with Harry who seemed to be equally exhausted. "Perhaps all of you should try to get some rest until Severus returns" he suggested transfiguring the chairs to more beds.

Hermione and Ginny however made no effort to move away from their boyfriends as they sat threading their hands through the boy's hair until the two boys drifted off into exhausted slumber. Hermione sighed and made to sit on the sofa as she was also totally drained when Harry woke up shouting and holding his scar in pain. Everyone rushed to his side wondering as to what new problem they had to face.

Harry sat up and addressed Dumbledore through bleary eyes "Sir he is not happy that the potion failed….he is not happy with Professor Snape…you should keep a painkiller ready Sir" he said sadly.

 **Author notes** : A big thank you to everyone who has stuck with me so far and a warm welcome to the new followers. I intend to finish this fic for sure and hope that your patience will not wane. Thank you for the nice reviews that have come my way and I really hope to hear more. So please read and review!Your reviews are valuable and much appreciated!


	41. Chapter 41 stress and release

**Chapter 41 Stress and release**

 **Legal Disclaimer** : Not the original merely a take-off.

Severus Snape could not help but heave a sigh of relief inwardly as he realised that the antidote had worked. He desperately hoped that the Dark Lord would abort his efforts with the vinculum potion after this failure. After all the Dark Lord was not known for patience. However as the time wore on with no sign of the boys he could sense the Dark Lord's anger escalating. Severus waited for the axe to fall and he held his breath for the anger to be unleashed on him. He knew that since it was he brewed the potion the failure would also therefore be placed on his shoulders.

" _Severus!_ Where are the boys? Why is the potion not working?" Voldemort screamed in his rage. "How dare you give me a failed potion?" he shouted as he turned his wand on Severus. Snape bowed and fell to his knees even though it would not appease the evil wizard. "I followed the instructions as I know them my Lord. I have no idea what went wrong" he said with the most innocent look that he could muster.

"I have no tolerance for failures Severus and you will be punished for your failure" Voldemort thundered as he cast the cruciatus curse on Snape. Again and again the curse was cast until Severus fell unconscious. However after a few minutes he was enervated and he struggled to take his position in the circle.

"This has to be Dumbledore's interference." Voldemort hissed addressing the death eaters. "Lucius I need your devil spawn at my feet. I need to hear his screams and pleas for mercy. The same goes for Potter. Do what you must to deliver them here" He commanded his eyes still smouldering with rage. Lucius Malfoy immediately fell to his knees and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes as he murmured "Yes my lord you will have them soon". Worry raised his head once again as Severus knew that Lucius could be as equally dangerous as the Dark Lord since his methods were not easily discernible. He was sneaky and had too many contacts to be predictable.

"Now leave and concentrate on bringing the brats at the earliest" Voldemort said dismissing the circle and Severus hastened to get back to the boys.

He arrived at where he had left them in record time and sighed in relief to see that the boys had made it. On seeing him they immediately surrounded him as he breathed in a quiet "So it worked".

"Severus…are you alright? What did the Dark Lord do to you?" Draco asked in an uncharacteristic display of open concern. Severus was slightly taken aback at the change in his charge as he sought to assure "I am alright. It's nothing that a pain killer and rest won't cure".

In the meantime Dumbledore moved forward with the pain killing potion and the strengthening potion and motioned for Severus to sit. "Severus take a moment to gather your strength and we will fill you in" he said as Severus quickly downed the potion and glanced at them for the details.

Quickly the youngsters filled him in on what had happened in his absence as the tremors in Severus's body slowly subsided. Once they finished the stressful account he looked at Hermione and Ginny "Thank you for the bravery you showed today and you as well" he said including Harry and Draco in his look "if not for that these two boys would not be here with us now."

"Severus now we would like to know what happened at the meeting if you feel up to it" Dumbledore asked solicitously. Severus filled him on the events ending with "the Dark Lord has tasked Lucius with producing Potter and Draco before him. It would be wise for us to be on the lookout and do not take any risks. It also occurs to me that it would now be totally unacceptable for Draco to be in Slytherin. I am sorry Draco. I know that you wanted to go back to Slytherin. But you know how easily Lucius can reach you in Slytherin" he said looking at Dumbledore and Draco in turn.

Draco felt a wave of depression overtake him and he felt his life spiralling out of control. His father was destroying his life totally and irrevocably. The very last thing that tied him to his old life had also been snatched away. He was already weak and in pain physically and now it all came crashing down on him.

He slid down in his chair and held his head in his hands. "Yes I know… _but why_? He cried out in anguish. "Why should he do this to me? Does he not care for me even a smidgeon? Am I just a traitor to him…and nothing more? Has he ever loved me Severus or was it all an act?" he asked tormented and in pure anguish. He hid his face in his hands and had he looked up he would have seen the worry and pity on the faces of everyone in that room.

He felt the tears gather in his eyes and for the first time in his life he felt too tired to lock it away. In that moment he felt that all his masks and his defences had been stripped away and his emotions were raw and laid bare for everyone to see. He felt someone move and realised that it was Hermione as she crouched in front of him and slowly pulled him to her. Draco was sick of fighting and feeling afraid. All he wanted was to sleep and forget that this whole war existed.

He greedily took in the comfort she extended as he buried his head in her chest and let himself go for the first time since he remembered. The first tears came hesitatingly and then the dam broke as the tears came faster and more violently. He cried for the father who no longer cared for him, for his loving mother who he would never see again, for his house from which he had been banished and for his name itself which said he had a family and last he cried for the friends that he had lost.

Nothing mattered in the moment except the soft warm body that was holding him and the thin yet strong arms that encased him offering love and solidarity. He felt her run a hand lovingly through his hair as she murmured "its okay Draco. You will be alright. Everything will turn out fine. You will see".

Slowly the hiccups reduced and he raised his swollen tear tracked face and wiped his eyes not having the strength to look at anyone in the eye. He felt Harry crouch down beside Hermione and clasp his bicep. He looked up to see concerned green eyes look at him in earnestness "I am sorry Draco but for what it is worth, you are not alone. You are one of us now and we are there for you" he said his voice soft yet strong.

It felt soothing for the words to come from Harry, One of the strongest persons he had come across. Oh yes! He could see the strength now after having tasted a bit of his life now. Potter after all had lost everything in this war as well. "Potter the bastard has taken every last identity of mine. He has taken away my family my name and my lifestyle not to mention my housemates. I want to take him down" he said his voice raspy and tear streaked.

Harry nodded with fire in his eyes. "We will Draco" he promised with firm determination. "Yes, he has taken a lot from you but he has given you something else too" he said pointing to himself and the Weasleys. "He has given you new relationships which you would never have had otherwise and most of all you are alive and ready to fight. You have stood up to him and turned your back on your father. That takes guts. I would say that I like this new Draco more than the earlier one…wouldn't you?" he asked looking at his friends who nodded earnestly.

Draco smiled thinly and felt more composed as he looked at his godfather who had moved to lay a hand on his shoulder. "Potter is right dragon. Life is hard right now but a time will come when things will get better and you will see that you are thankful for these hardships that made you stronger and wiser. Now come, you need to rest after which everything will seem better" Severus's words washed over him with equanimity as he nodded and got to his feet.

Severus looked at the rest of the group "In fact, I think all of us need to rest. It has been a stressful day for each one of us. Perhaps we can meet in the evening and discuss where we go from here. I will see you in the evening headmaster" he said as he made his way to the exit. Draco nodded once to the group as he followed his godfather to their chambers.

Once inside they both headed to their bedrooms for much needed rest where they fell asleep almost immediately.

Back in the room of requirement Dumbledore had taken leave following his potions master leaving the four teens in exhausted silence.

"Well I am beat. I think I will take a leaf out of Draco's book and sleep some myself" Harry said with a yawn but he was surprised when the rest of his friends remained silent. "Guys…" he called out tentatively when Ron suddenly got up and hugged Harry. "That was damn scary and it hurt mate…I was shit scared and damn worried when you were in so much of pain and there was nothing we could do. Even him…Malfoy..Draco I mean. How did you guys do it ?" he asked in a broken whisper.

"Do we have any choice Ron?" Harry asked in a weary voice. "Draco is right…Voldemort has kind of taken over our lives and we need to stop it .I am thankful that I have at least you guys by my side but Draco.. we are still new for him. It's so much tougher on him" he said in sympathy.

Ron nodded "yeah…I mean I have never seen him sooo human before…you was almost like he is normal. Like one of us with emotions and all" he said in wonder. Everyone nodded in agreement before Ginny butted in with "Harry you look exhausted. Go to sleep. We will discuss everything later" she said ushering Harry towards the bed that the room had provided.

"What are you guys going to do?" Harry asked. "I think I will take a nap with you here Harry that is if it's okay with you. What are your plans?" Ron asked turning to the girls.

Hermione answered for the both of them "I think we should go up to the tower. Thank goodness it's the weekend otherwise we cannot begin to explain our absences. Come on Ginny. I am tired too" she said as Ginny moved to join her as they made their way to Gryffindor tower.

The girls walked in silence until Ginny broke it "it was a horrible day Hermione. It is even more horrible when you see others in pain and know that you have caused it. I feel sick when I think about it. I don't want to ever go through something like this again. I would rather die you know. And Harry…he has gone through so much. I really don't know how he can stand this" she confessed.

Hermione nodded and clasped Ginny's hand "I know exactly what you mean Gin. I was a mess. How can anyone even hurt another person deliberately? It just feels so wrong. I feel that I have committed a crime even when I know I haven't. It's sick and you are right. I definitely can't do this again" she said fervently.

"Really I don't know how you guys have dealt with this year after year. _Balderdash_ " Ginny gave the password and they immediately went to the girl's dorm. "Anyway a nap doesn't sound bad. I just wish that I could forget that all this ever happened. Shall I get you at five then?" she asked lying down on her bed.

"Tell me about it. Five is fine Gin. See you then" Hermione responded with a yawn as she too made her way to her bed.

 **Author notes** : I am sorry for the long gap. I got side tracked with For me and Aftermath. But now I am back and from here it will be faster updates. I also took the time to reedit all the chapters in the fic but unfortunately I do not see the changes reflected. Technology can be quite infuriating at times. Having said that thank you for giving me support as a writer and deeming my writing good enough to read. I would like to know what your thoughts are so please do read and review. Please do not get confused with the chapter


	42. Chapter 42 paradigm shift

Chapter 42 **paradigm shift**

Come evening the four teenagers minus Ginny found themselves sitting with Severus Snape and Dumbledore at Dumbldore's office. "So what now Albus? It has been a long day truly" Severus Snape broke the silence.

"It has been a long day definitely and I was wondering if we can talk about Draco's resorting. I was thinking that perhaps I can announce his comeback to the school at breakfast tomorrow and have the resorting thereafter" Dumbledore proposed.

"In front of _everyone_?" Draco asked alarmed and looking green at the prospect. "Why? Does the prospect discomfit you?" Dumbledore asked with a kind look. "Of course it does. Can't we do it here?" Draco said looking down.

Severus got up and laid a hand on his shoulder "Draco it will look as if we have favoured you over the others if we do it where they are not present. Acceptance in your new house will not be easy as it is and they have to know that you did not influence the choice in any way. They have to know that the sorting hat decided the house and not you. That way resentment even if present will not be as much as if you arrive without any explanation in their house" he explained calmly.

Draco knew in his heart that it made sense but he could not deny the nervousness that he was feeling. Life as he knew it was over and this change was terrifying. "What if his new housemates did not accept him? What if they attacked him?" the questions were numerous but there were no answers really. The reality was that he had no choice and he had to accept these changes whether he was ready or not. He was emotionally wrung out and he nodded tiredly with an "alright" indicating his acceptance.

Hermione leaned in sensing his distress, and discreetly lay a hand on his arm. He gratefully took the chance to grasp her hand under the table relishing in the feel of belonging and the strength that she offered. Not for the first time he thanked the Gods that he had fallen for a strong willed witch and not a whiny trophy girl who would just not survive this life.

"Now since that is settled, I want to draw your attention to one more thing" Dumbledore addressed the group. "We have already destroyed the diary, the Gaunt ring and the necklace. Can we think of what the other horcruxes could be?" he asked.

"Can living things be made into a horcrux?" Harry asked. Dumbledore looked at him over the rims of his glasses. "I am not sure Harry but I suppose it's possible" he answered cautiously before asking "why do you ask, my boy?".

Harry shrugged "I was thinking of his snake…Nagini. Considering that it is one thing over which only he has supreme control it makes sense for her to be a horcrux. Besides she seems to be the only thing for which he has any kind of attachment. She means something to him" he said looking at each one in turn.

"I guess it makes a kind of twisted sense but will it not be impractical to have a horcrux that could wander away?" Hermione asked to which Draco answered "Not exactly. As far as I have seen he never lets her slither away from his eyesight. What about you Severus? You have spent more time in the Dark Lord's presence. What do you think?" he asked looking at his godfather.

"Come to think of it, I have never seen the snake at a distance from the Dark Lord either. The idea does have merit" he acknowledged "It could be a horcrux yes. But in that case it will also be the most difficult to destroy since it will be near the Dark Lord at all times. I am afraid we have to keep it for the last. Let us try to identify the rest" Severus urged.

"So we have the diary, ring, necklace, Nagini and Voldemort himself. That leaves two other horcruxes for us to find. What could they be?" Ron summarised at which point Dumbledore re-entered the conversation. "We have to remember that each one of the horcruxes either carry some kind of value to Voldemort or it is of some value by itself. We know that the ring was related to Salazar Slytherin. Perhaps we can find out if the necklace belonged to any famous witch then we will know in which direction to go" he said.

"Do you have any ideas Sir" Hermione asked and Dumbledore replied with the twinkle in his eyes "Yes Miss Granger I do think that the necklace might belong to one of the founders. If that is the case we can safely assume that the other objects might also be something that belongs to the founders". Everyone sat upright in their chair with this new possibility and Hermione became excited at the prospect of finding another horcrux. She could hardly wait to hit the library so that they could find the relevant information.

"Albus I am sure that Miss Granger will now be itching to go to the library. Rest assured Miss Granger that the books are not going to walk away in the night" he said drily much to Hermione's embarrassment and to the annoyance of Draco.

Dumbledore cleared his throat "I am sure that all of you will do the needful in a most excellent manner. It is time that we get to our dinner now. Draco I will see you in the Great Hall tomorrow morning. I wish you luck in advance" he said.

"Thank you Sir" Draco replied as everyone got to their feet to make an exit to the Great Hall. Once outside Hermione turned to Draco. "Can I have a word with you?" she asked not looking at the others. Draco glanced at his godfather over her head to see what his reaction was. Severus gave a curt nod "Do not delay too much and cast the disillusionment charm when coming down" he cautioned as he walked away.

Harry and Ron looked at each other and while Ron wanted to linger Harry spoke for the both of them. "Be careful the both of you. We will wait for you in the tower Hermione" he said and shoved Ron forward to begin their walk to the tower.

"So where do you want to go?" Draco asked turning to look at Hermione. In answer she dragged him to the nearest empty classroom and hastily cast both a locking as well as a privacy charm. Draco raised an eyebrow giving her an amused smile. "Are you going to take advantage of me?" he asked with a too innocent look.

"Maybe That's exactly what I want to do" Hermione replied with a naughty look and tossed her head in a bossy manner as he inclined his head with an amused smile "Oh my lady please spare me. Your wish is my command. I am all yours" he said bowing to her with a twinkle in his eyes. Hermione could not resist the smile that tugged at her lips as she adopted a mock serious-haughty look "Prove it" she commanded.

She then moved toward him and laid her head on his chest while hugging him to her. She lifted her head to look into those mercury pools that now seemed to have amusement in them. She raised herself up and slowly brushed her lips against his tenderly and was rewarded when he roughly tightened his grip on her and pulled her to him. His lips turned insistent as he deepened the kiss and drank in her sweetness.

It had taken a couple of minutes for him to respond and she could sense that he had been waiting for her to say something more. When she remained silent he nudged her "Hermione I am not saying that I don't enjoy this but I thought you wanted to talk" he murmured against her hair.

Her hands found their way into his hair and became endearingly mussed as she finally stepped away from him. She looked at him her eyes shining with concern "I have been wanting to do this ever since the room of requirement" she confessed her voice husky.

"I wouldn't have minded" he remarked with a smirk. "Get serious Draco. How _are_ you _really_?" she asked her voice almost dripping with worry. "When I had to do the anchoring ritual I almost died. It killed me to watch you in so much pain. I don't think I can do it again and if I feel so affected by it I wonder how you must be feeling?"

"Draco…why do I get the feeling that you are shoving everything inside and putting on this mask. You cannot possibly be okay with everything the way it is. What do you really feel about the resorting?" She asked kneeling in front of him as he listened to her without any reaction. She pushed aside a strand of hair from his forehead and gently cupped his cheek as she waited for him to say something … _anything_ about what was brewing in his mind.

He looked away for a moment before releasing a sigh "You call the way I cried today shoving everything inside?" he asked looking at her. "No Hermione for the first time I did _not_ shove everything inside. All my life I have never been encouraged to show my feelings to the outside world. We 'Malfoys' never show emotion. It was all to be buried. But I have to confess that lately you have begun to erode my walls. You and Potter …you people wear your emotions on your face and it is all so alien to me."

He climbed down to the floor and sat against the chair with his knees spread wide. In doing so, he pulled Hermione and positioned her within his legs and pulled her backward to rest her against his chest as he continued.

"Lately though nothing has been within my control. _Nothing_ and it has all happened so fast that it has not hit me fully. Right now I am drifting along with what is happening, that is all. It is happening too fast and too much. My life as I had it is over Mione. I don't know what the future will bring and what I can offer to you. I can't deny that I am nervous about the resorting and what will happen wherever I am going to wind up" he said his voice breaking with emotion.

He ran a hand through his hair wearily as he sighed "Add to it the fact that I don't have a knut to my name and you have as bleak a picture as you can imagine. You deserve better, love" he said.

Hermione smiled at the endearment and wondered at the change in the stoic Slytherin. She snuggled into his arms, he felt warm and strong and she felt safe ensconced in his warmth. So much had changed in the last couple of months. Two months ago Draco was still an enemy and Gryffindors and Slytherins were still on opposite sides. The battle lines were clear and life was uncomplicated. Now though…

"Draco I am sure anything would be better than Slytherin and if you are sorted in Gryffindor we would be there. No one can touch you there I promise. Just please don't go out of your way to antagonise anyone ok? I am not saying that it is going to be easy but we will get through this. You will see" she said with determination and a warm smile.

Draco entwined their fingers noting with interest as to how her fingers were almost engulfed by his "What if it is Ravenclaw?" he asked. "I don't think I can even remotely qualify as a Hufflepuff but Ravenclaw is an option that the hat considered in first year. I know that Ravenclaws are better than the Slytherins but I have not exactly been friendly to them in the past" he said his voice grim and resigned. He could not turn the clock but these days he was beginning to wish he could.

"Ravenclaws are not so bad Draco. Terry Boot and Luna are good friends and so is Cho Chang. I can ask them to help you out. Relax everything will work out" Hermione comforted in a calm tone.

Only you would see this situation in such a positive light" Draco replied. "I am afraid I am not that optimistic dear" he said with a wan smile.

"Everything will be alright …just promise you won't give up fighting" Hermione repeated with a quiet plea in her voice. Draco fell silent "To tell you the truth, I am tired of fighting Hermione" he said tiredly running a hand through his hair.

"I am sick of not being able to go to my mother's grave, I am sick of trying to stay alive and I am sick of being afraid for you" he said and although his voice was soft the fire in his eyes said otherwise.

Hermione felt comforted by the fire in his molten eyes and knew that as far as the fire raged within him he would fight. "Draco what did you see when you killed the horcrux? Is that why you feel like this?" she asked hesitatingly. No sooner had the words emerged she felt him tense and she could feel his shields go up.

"Please don't shut me out Draco. You need to talk to someone…I worry about you. I lo….. _err_ I care for you." Hermione pleaded but unfortunately the mask stayed on. Draco gave no indication that he had noticed the slip up but he spoke with a thin smile "Perhaps under a different set of circumstances I can do that Mione. For now I need to leave. Severus will be mad as it is" he said slowly getting to his feet and extending his hand to pull up Hermione.

"Okay" Hermione said feeling a bit disappointed but also knowing that it was time to back off. Draco could not be bullied into an answer like Harry or Ron she reminded herself. Everything had happened under extenuating circumstances and they definitely needed to get used to each other some more. "I will see you in the morning then" she said as she leaned forward to give him a small kiss.

"Yes I dare say you will. Take care and be very careful and dream of me" he said with a smirk as he made his way to the door. "Egoistic prat" she called out as he chuckled and made his way to the dungeons. Hermione lingered for a moment before wondering "Will you dream of _me_ Draco Malfoy?" .

Great Hall

It was not just Draco who was nervous as he walked into the Great Hall the next morning but also Harry and Hermione who had not yet come in. Draco made his way to sit next to his Godfather at the staff table and was acutely aware of the stunned silence that followed his entry and the whispers that now raged in the hall. He could feel the predatory stares of the Slytherins boring into him and he was thankful that he had been spared from sitting with them.

He snuck a quick glance at the entrance where Harry and Hermione walked in and took their seats. Hermione smiled at him boldly as did Harry with a small wave in his direction and Draco became even more aware of the shock in the room. With equal abandon albeit a bit fake in his case he smiled back and he was immensely grateful that no one fell off their chair with heart attack. The idiom pin drop silence just acquired a new meaning indeed.

He was however grateful for the show of support and acknowledged that if anyone knew what he felt like right now it would be Potter. Merlin knew the man was in this position year after year and once again Draco wondered how he lived through this. It was a very troubling moment indeed when Draco Malfoy found himself regarding Harry Potter with respect he thought with a wry chuckle.

The moment was however broken when Albus Dumbledore got to his feet and addressed the Great Hall. "Good morning. This morning we welcome back Draco who is with us after a sabbatical of sorts. I have no doubts that all of you are curious and have questions but I request you not to trouble him with them. No doubt you know that some unpleasant events have occurred recently but you may not know that circumstances have also arisen which require Draco to be resorted. Therefore he will be resorted now and I hope he is extended a warm welcome in his new house".

A variety of reactions broke out among the students upon this news. Some of the students smirked evilly thinking of how they would now get a chance for revenge and some just wanted to steer clear of him altogether. But most of them wound up wondering what the hell happened for _Draco Malfoy_ …the undisputed king of Slytherin to be assigned a new house. It was mind boggling to say the least.

Hermione looked at the hall with worry pooling in her gut. Her heart went out to the ex Slytherin and anger flared within her as she overheard some of the students discussing how it served him right to be brought so low.

Ron religiously looked at his plate while Harry gently lay a hand on Hermione's offering his support and hoping to calm her down. He knew how mercurial the students were and how quickly they could turn on someone. He could understand perfectly what Draco must be feeling and he had to accept that the slytherins's calm and collected appearance was impressive. He had never been able to keep his emotions at bay when everyone had turned against him thanks to the Daily Prophet.

His attention went to the staff table as Dumbledore beckoned for Draco to come forward and be seated on the sorting stool. He was aware of Hermione clutching his hand tightly as the sorting hat was placed on Draco's head.

Draco on the other hand felt his heart skip a beat as Dumbledore beckoned him forward. If not for the rigid training in his earlier years he was sure that he would fall completely apart. His heart was beating a harsh tattoo and he wondered if the others could hear it. He struggled to mask the tremble in his legs as he quickly sat down on the stool where McGonagall placed the hat on his head.

"Draco Malfoy…" he heard the hat speak in his head. "We meet again under different circumstances. I sense a lot of change in you. I sense sadness and loss. You have suffered and you have faced bravery. Yes, you have changed in many ways but your thirst for knowledge and keen intellect remain unchanged. Hence I pronounce you fit for"…Draco screwed his eyes shut in anticipation.

"RAVENCLAW" the word bounced in Draco's head as he sat stunned unable to move. He felt like he was moving in a daze as he felt the hat being removed from his head. Yes he had expected it but still it did not dampen his nervousness in the least.

Numbly he looked at Hermione and saw her nod in encouragement with a smile. He dimly noted that a few of the Ravenclaws were politely clapping for him and he made his way to an empty spot at the table. He politely nodded at his new housemates as he sat down. Soon he was approached by professor Flitwick who gave him his new timetable and welcomed him to Ravenclaw.

He felt a slight flare of panic as he looked at the time table to see no shared classes with Gryffindors but he forced a smile on his face and followed his housemates to the defence against the dark arts classroom with the Hufflepuffs.

 **Author** **notes:** thank you for the appreciation. At the same time do let me know your thoughts. Feel free to point out mistakes too! In effect please do read and review.


	43. Chapter 43 a taste of things to come

**Chapter 43 a taste of things to come**

 **Disclaimer:** Only this story belongs to me and none of the characters.

"Whew this is a better option I guess" Hermione muttered under her breath. Harry squeezed her hand assuring her "don't worry Hermione. He will be fine. We can ask Cho and Luna to keep an eye on him". "You are right Harry. I told him the same thing. I wonder how he is faring though. We do not even have any shared classes" Hermione fretted.

"Come on Hermione let us get to our class. Draco is quite capable of taking care of himself" Harry urged and tugged Hermione along with him. "I just hope he keeps calm. He cannot afford to make any more enemies" she muttered as she followed Harry out to the transfiguration classroom which was their first class.

Draco on the other hand had reached the defence against the dark arts and he was thankful that it was his godfather who was teaching it. He stood undecided on where to go when one of the girls motioned for him to take the empty seat beside her. He noticed that it was one of the Ravenclaws and instantly vowed to be friendly to her.

"You have all been taught about werewolves and boggarts. It is time that you learn how to defend yourselves against an inferi" Severus Snape started the class. "Now can anyone tell me what an inferi is?" he asked and one of the boys lifted his hand and gave the answer.

"Sir is you-know-who using an inferi?" the girl beside Draco voiced the question that many of them had been wondering. Severus gave a contemplative look as he sighed and replied "yes it is a distinct possibility, which is why it is imperative that you know how to defend yourselves against it. Now does anyone know what you can do to defend yourselves against one?" he asked the class at large.

When no hands were raised he turned to Draco "Draco do you know the counter to an inferi?" he asked. Draco squirmed in his seat .Yes he did know but to come out and say it would make it seem as though he was indeed a dark wizard. It would just add to the evil wizard image that most people he was sure carried of him. He felt that he was under a magnifying glass as the whole class stopped to stare at him and he felt his palms start to sweat under the scrutiny.

"It is not the knowledge of the Dark arts that is dangerous. It is how you use them. Do not hesitate to share your knowledge Draco. It might save someone's life" Severus encouraged. Draco nodded and spoke hesitatingly "The inferi fear fire. The best defence against an inferi is to create fire and not just the _incendio_ either" he said.

"Of course _he_ would know" one of the Ravenclaws spat glaring at Draco with hate. Draco recoiled from the hate in those eyes but he refused to get intimidated by it. He lifted his head and looked at the offending Ravenclaw in the eye daring him to speak further.

Severus Snape however intervened "Yes he would know and that knowledge will one day perhaps save your life." He said curtly before turning to Draco again "Now Draco do you know the incantation?" he asked. Draco nodded uncomfortably and said " _partum_ _ignis_ ".

"Very good that is 5 points to Sly...well Ravenclaw." Severus corrected hastily. Draco looked up alarmed as Severus continued " _partum ignis_ is the spell that creates very powerful fire which is the only thing that will stand between an inferi and you. I want all of you to observe the wand movement and attempt to practice it for the rest of the class. For homework you will research the history of the inferi and the theory behind the incantation" he said.

For the rest of the hour the students attempted the wand movement until the class came to an end. Draco partnered the girl next to him and was pleasantly surprised that she was quite handy with a wand. It was not something he had expected from the strangely dressed girl.

Draco stood up packing his bag and was interrupted by the girl next to him "Harry is a very good friend of mine and so is Hermione. If you are alright in their books you are alright in mine. Besides your aura is very strong and clear you know" she said in an airy manner which baffled Draco.

The girl looked a little weird indeed with _what was that_? _Radish earrings_? But he could not afford to be choosy with friends right now. He had to survive Ravenclaw and any kind of help would have to be taken. Besides she noticed the dynamics between Hermione and him and that was the most telling thing about the girl. She definitely had more to her than what she appeared on the surface.

So he extended his hand simply "Draco" he said as the girl clasped his hand in return "Luna…Luna Lovegood" she introduced herself. The name sounded familiar and with a jolt Draco realised that this must be one of the people that Hermione mentioned. He made a mental note to ask her about this girl the next time he met her.

"So have you defected to Dumbledore's side?" she asked shocking Draco with her candour. "What makes you ask that?" he asked carefully not entirely sure of what his answer should be. He did not know the first thing about her. "Well why else would Harry and Hermione be friends with you silly" she said with an airy laugh. "Why indeed" Draco muttered before he answered her query.

"Yeah you could say that I have" he admitted as he walked with her to the charms class. "It's alright, its Professor Flitwick's class. He is fair and besides you are one of his now" she said catching onto his nervousness.

"It's not the Professor that I am worried about" Draco muttered and Luna laughed again "Oh! You have to worry only about those who have the nargles in their head. The others will be fine" she said leaving a puzzled Draco in her wake.

"What on earth were nargles? And how crazy was this girl anyway?" he thought with a sigh. This did not comfort him in the least but beggars could not afford to be choosers and he definitely almost qualified as one he thought dismally.

The charms class was manageable except for the number of glares levelled his way. He guessed that they had all restrained themselves in defence against the dark arts as it was Snape but here they had no such restraints. But he supposed he should be thankful that not all of them had hostile looks. Some of them just looked like they did not care and others appeared neutral.

Nevertheless he was thankful when it was time for lunch and he would get to see the Gryffindors. For the time being however he stuck to the weird girl…Luna he reminded himself.

He entered the Great Hall and his eyes automatically scanned the Gryffindor table and he was relieved to find Hermione seated with Harry and Ron. He nodded to her and did not quite know how to react when Hermione got up and made her way to him.

He was aware of all the eyes that were on him as Hermione approached him. However he had eyes only for her as she stood before him with a beaming smile. "I see you found Luna. How were the classes?" she asked her voice a mixture of nervousness and worry. "The classes were fine. Luna here helped" he said shrugging sheepishly as Hermione turned to Luna.

"Thank you so much Luna. Take care of him for me will you?" she said leaning forward to hug her friend. Draco blushed and protested "hey I don't need a baby sitter". Hermione however turned to him with a twinkle in her eye "But you do need a friend" she declared and much to his horror she hugged him as well.

"Hermione are you sure that you should be so open about this?" he asked as he hugged her awkwardly and was very acutely aware of the piercing glares being directed in his direction. "It will not hurt for it to be known that you are an ally now. It will come out at some point and I honestly think that it's better for it to come out earlier than later" Hermione asserted.

"Well it seems that you have… _umph_ " Draco's words came out in a grunt as he stumbled. He turned around to see Nott smirking at him as he drawled "associating with mudbloods and the _chosen one_ are we?" he taunted. Draco drew himself up and crossed his arms lazily as he played his Malfoy persona again "I do not see how that is of any concern to you" he responded with utter disdain even though a spark of alarm ignited inside him. Nott was not someone to be taken lightly.

He felt Hermione stiffen beside him and he could see that Potter and Weasley had gotten to their feet as well. "Well anyone who shames the house of Slytherin concerns us…most direly" Nott said his eyes alight with malice.

"Then it is you who should be worried with this display and you forget that Draco is now a Ravenclaw" Hermione snapped her eyes sparking with rage as she stood by Draco.

"Well hiding behind girls…pathetic I should say. Ravenclaw huh Draco… But you know what they say about cheetah and spots. Once a Slytherin always a Slytherin. Better beware of him mudblood" Nott warned as he leaned forward to mutter "and _you_ will be shown your place traitor" in Draco's ear as he straightened up. "Well it is time for me to get to a place where the air is _purer_ " he declared as he brushed past Draco to the Slytherin table.

Draco exhaled "are you alright?" he asked turning to Hermione "Am I alright? Are _you_ alright?" she asked in turn as she fumed "oh I am so mad with that scum" under her breath. Luna who had been watching the exchange with her typical day dream look butted in "excuse me, are you guys dating?" she asked causing the other two to break out in an uncomfortable blush.

"Let's get to lunch shall we? I think there has been enough entertainment for the day" Draco said tiredly brushing aside the question. Hermione nodded grateful for the escape and went back to her table having bestowed Draco and Luna with another hug. The scene at the Gryffindor table was another thing however.

Harry and Ron were being pelted with questions from their curious batch mates. Neville and Dean leaned forward as she sat down next to Harry "Hermione are you _friends with Malfoy_?" Dean exclaimed incredulously.

Hermione looked helplessly at Harry and Ron and smiled tentatively as she answered "yes Dean you could say that we.." she said pointing to Harry and Ron as well "are friends with Draco now" .She might as well as have dropped a bombshell as the entire table fell silent before exploding in chaos. She winced as her classmates burst out with disbelief.

" ** _What the hell_** …how can you say that? He's been nothing but a show off and an evil git all these years and especially to _you_ three. Doesn't that count? Not to mention that he is a sworn enemy of Harry and is probably a death eater to boot" the objections rose from all sides as each of their friends came up with their indignant objections. Hermione looked at Harry pleading with him to step in. She was already irritated with the earlier incident and this was not helping at all.

Harry got to his feet and held up his hand "Guys we know this is a shock but things have changed. Draco has helped us at great personal risk. He has cut all ties with his family as you know and is an ally now and moreover I can vouch for the fact that he is not a death eater".

"What if that's just an act Harry. That guy is capable of anything" Dean spat with anger in his eyes. Harry looked at them and replied "Guys we are not asking you to trust him but you know that you can trust _us_ right? So if _we_ , who have tangled with him the most say that he is alright it should count for something right?" Harry asked the dubious Gryffindors.

"But what really happened for you to trust him Harry?" Neville asked showing his perceptive side. The trio looked at one another for a moment before Harry shrugged "That's really his story to tell Neville and definitely not here for everyone to hear" he said.

The Gryffindors looked undecided but thankfully it was time to leave and for once the trio was thankful for the bell that signalled the end of lunch. If she was feeling so rattled Hermione wondered how Draco was holding up. She looked at the Ravenclaw table to see that he was sitting facing her and as if he felt her eyes on him he looked gazes locked for a split second before he looked away. She was gratified to see a faint smile on his lips but it made her incredibly sad to note that it did not reach his eyes.

His eyes were a maelstrom reflecting his fear, anger, anguish and sadness and she realised that she was probably one of the few who could even read those emotions in his eyes. For the world at large they did not convey anything. His face was an aloof mask designed to create a barrier between him and the world and she swore to herself that she would destroy the barrier at some point so that everyone could see the other side of him that was buried. The side that cared and the side that was human.

 **Author notes:** I hope the chapter finds favour with you. I am thankful to those who are following me and I will be even more thrilled if I get your reviews in my inbox. So please do read and review. Ciao!


	44. Chapter 44 a different path

**Chapter 44 A different path**

 **Disclaimer:** Is that even needed at this point?

The rest of the afternoon went by without any major incidents and it was with relief that Draco went to the room of requirement for their wand less training. He entered to find the others already gathered there and was immediately engulfed in Hermione's hug.

"Oh! Draco did everything go alright? Those nasty Slytherins didn't try anything did they?" she spoke breathlessly as Ron butted in "give the man space to talk Mione" in a teasing tone.

Draco however held onto Hermione relishing in the warmth of her and inhaled the vanilla scent of her hair. He loved the scent and it made him feel calm and collected instantly. After a few minutes he gently disengaged from her and held her at arm's length.

"Hermione it's alright. Nothing happened …not today anyway" he muttered as he ran a hand through his hair wearily and sank onto the sofa with an exhale. "How was your day though?" he asked looking at the three of them. Harry replied "the usual.. the gryffindors were expectedly shocked that we could be friends with the 'evil Slytherin git' but at least it was not as bad as it would be when they come to know that you are dating one" he said slyly.

" _Harry"_ Hermione admonished "stop making it worse than it even is. I am getting a headache just thinking about it" she said rubbing her forehead. But their conversation was cut short as Severus Snape entered the room.

Without much ado they spent the next hour practicing the shields that they had learned earlier only without a wand and wordlessly by extension until each one of them could do the _protego_ and the variations of it with ease.

It was a gruelling session and by the time dinner called they were beat and longing to get into bed. It had been an emotionally demanding day and Draco did not even want to think about what he would find in the Ravenclaw dorm. He was tired and emotionally wrung out and all he wanted to do was curl up and sleep preferably with a certain bushy haired Gryffindor by his side. He shook himself and groaned mentally…no he did not need those types of thoughts now. Just goes to show how tired I am he thought.

Dinner was a solemn affair with the four teenagers feeling totally wiped out even as Hermione could not avoid looking at the Ravenclaw table with worry. "He will be okay, stop worrying" Harry said gripping Hermione's shoulder. "Yeah you are right" Hermione assented as she took one last look in Draco's direction before heading to the tower.

Draco for his part followed the other Ravenclaws to a part of the castle that he had never used. It led to a spiral staircase that led up a couple of floors. The entrance was however blocked by a door with a knocker in the shape of an eagle. The eagle opened it's mouth and spoke

"The more you take the more you leave behind. What am I?"

" _Great_ All I want to do is sleep and the blasted door wants me to solve a riddle at this hour?" Draco stood with a flash of irritation. But he could not stop the faint smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth as he thought of Harry and Ron. They would never get in without Hermione.

Now however he stood looking at the others and waited for them to say the answer but he was pulled up short when one boy looked at him and said "wait…let _him_ say the password. If he gets it right he can come inside otherwise let him stay out until he proves that he is a _real_ Ravenclaw".

"Come on guys…don't be so mean" Cho Chang started to say but was quickly made to shut up as another boy broke in. "Cho don't defend him just because you are friends with Harry Potter. He has reaped what he has sown and he cannot undo what he did in one day. He has to earn his place in our house". Cho looked apologetically at Draco and stepped back.

"Fine" Draco muttered as he tried to remember the puzzle again. The more you take the more you leave behind did it say?...well that can't be money unless you are a Malfoy he thought sardonically…it was probably one of the more sappy stuff like love or something but even love could not be taken for granted. Well he should probably walk away and find shelter elsewhere for the night and started to take a few steps back. But then something niggled at the back of his weary mind.

Walk away... he turned and looked at the steps he took and it suddenly clicked. He was leaving his footsteps and the more he took the more he would leave behind. Merlin! That was the answer! He exhaled with relief as he smirked and said "the answer is footsteps" and then held his breath for it to be accepted.

"Your answer is correct" the knocker said and slid open. Draco moved with the rest of the group into the dorm. It was decorated in themes of sky blue and white. It reminded him of the sea and the sky and a sense of calm passed over him. But it did not help him find his way to the boy's dorm.

Luna walked over to him and pointed a door at the far right of the room "the boys dorm is over there" she said before adding "the opposite end is ours. Good night Draco and good luck. That was a good thing that you did back there" she said pointing to the door as she walked towards her dorm.

Draco sighed and walked to his dorm to see that his belongings had been placed on the farthest bed. There were five other beds in the room. Without stopping to look at anyone he strode to his cot and sank down on it wearily.

The other boys looked at him warily before they started digging through their wardrobe for their pyjamas. Draco scrambled to do the same but then realised that he had to ask them for directions to the bathroom. This day was never ending he thought and turned to the boys "would someone please tell me where the bathroom is?" he asked in the most polite tone that he could manage.

He was however met with blank stares as they looked at him undecided on whether he was friend or foe until one boy gestured randomly to one end of the hall and went back to his bag. Draco nodded his thanks and quickly went to the bathroom so that he could finish his nightly ablutions. That done, he gratefully sunk onto the four poster bed and drew his curtains for privacy. For a minute he considered putting up some shield charms around his bed before rejecting the idea. That was more of a Slytherin style and probably not Ravenclaw at all. Besides, he was supposed to win their trust not put them off with distrust.

More than anything however, he was totally wiped out and drifted to sleep thinking of Hermione. It could have been much worse…much worse. This was not so bad actually he thought as he drifted onto darkness.

Deep down in the dungeons however sleep was eluding one Severus Snape. It had been a tumultuous day to say the least, a day where his Godson's life had been set on a different path. He wondered how he was faring with the changes in his life. He dearly hoped that he had not been set upon by any Ravenclaws or Slytherins for that matter he thought drily. He made a mental note to keep an eye on Theodore Nott after the scene in the Great Hall.

That boy's father was a death eater and the boy himself was prime death eater material with a vindictive nature. Furthermore the boy was no idiot. He symbolised all the negative traits of the house and could be extremely cunning and blood thirsty. Yes, he knew that Draco would be aware of the same but still he could not help but be worried.

Life had become too dangerous and twisted and he was glad in one small reluctant corner of his heart that his Godson had the golden trio with him. If it came to a fight and he knew that it will, those three were the best candidates to help him survive. They had the courage, the loyalty and the power to pose a serious threat to the Dark Lord and Draco was best protected when he was with them.

 _Harry Potter_ …Severus had to accept that he had been wrong about the boy. Even though he looked like his father he did have his mother's heart. Severus knew that now. If Severus had been in Harry Potter's position he would never have given Draco the time of the day, leave alone throw his weight behind him. But the chosen one had truly been made of hero material and Severus found himself feeling grateful for the Gryffindor nobility that was now helping his Godson. And his choice of a girlfriend, sweet Merlin! That was the most unexpected thing of all.

But he had to grudgingly admit that his Godson had made the right choice. The girl had tremendous strength in all aspects, was very intelligent and had the kindness that would cut through Draco's mask. He was sure of that and it would do Draco good to become his own man.

Yes, the girl was fantastically tenacious and incredibly talented with no dearth of courage. She would fight for him against all odds. Yes, his Godson had made the perfect choice and he thanked God for the small mercy. Having a stupid cowardly girl in the picture would have been undoubtedly messy he thought with a grimace.

But the future would be fraught with danger and challenges and he prayed in his mind that the youngsters would survive these and live their life the way they were supposed to.

As Severus fretted over these thoughts Hermione was not spared from thinking about Draco either. Her heart ached for him and she wished that she could help him in some way. Her blood ran cold when she thought about what happened in the Great Hall. Theodore Nott had openly threatened Draco and she wondered if he was safe even within Hogwarts. She needed to have some method of knowing if he was safe otherwise she was well on the way to going spare. In fact it would be a good idea if all of them had some way of contacting each other in an emergency.

After thinking about many ways she finally decided upon something that would work. She would just work on a variation of the protean charm and make them pendants that could be used for communication between them. That thought settled her fear a bit and she closed her eyes and drifted off vowing to get a lot of work done come morning.

 **Author notes** : Thank you once again for the support. Every review spurs me on to write more. So please do read and review!


	45. enemies and friends

**Chapter 45 Enemies and Friends**

Draco opened his eyes to see himself in a strange bed and surrounded by a whole lot of blue and white. These were not Severus's quarters nor the Slytherin dorms. However as his sleep muddled brain slowly cleared up the events of the previous day came rushing in with startling clarity. Ravenclaw…he was a Ravenclaw now and he had to admit that it had not been as bad as he feared. He had not been attacked in his sleep and neither had he woken up to someone standing by his bed with a wand levelled in his direction. That would have been the scenario in Slytherin and he felt dimly comforted by the fact that Ravenclaws were indeed much better.

Hermione had been correct he acknowledged and he smiled as he thought of his girlfriend. _Girlfriend_ the word made him feel weird. He had never pegged himself to be one for serious relationships and that too with a muggle born! And yet here he was.

Definitely he had surprised everyone most of all himself. But that did not stop him from wishing that she was here with him with her warm smile and flashing eyes, her body soft and sweet as she kissed him with gay abandon. Now that was something he could wake up to he thought wistfully as he got out of bed. As he gathered his things he realised that the bathrooms had a queue and he reluctantly took his place in the queue as reality settled in pulling him away from his pleasant thoughts.

He was however shoved rudely away as Anthony Goldstein glared at him "new comers get to go at the last _Dracoo. Too bad daddy is not there to get you a spot"_ He taunted laying stress on Draco's name even as the other boys looked at him to see his reaction.

Draco willed himself to be calm as any number of dark spells came to his mind and yet he understood the message. He had been disinherited and for all intents and purposes and he was being not so subtly reminded that he did not have the safety of the Malfoy net. A pang rose in his chest for just a minute as he thought of his father but he firmly pushed it to the back of his mind. He did _not_ regret his choices and _no one_ was going to make him think twice. The only thing he regretted was his failure in not having seen this coming.

He clenched his fist and gave a curt nod pushing down the feeling of shame at being bullied. In the past the roles had been reversed and it was irony that he had to face his karma when he was doing the right thing. 'No', he told himself, he was not letting himself be bullied.. he was keeping the peace.. _yes he was keeping the peace_.

" _What? Cat got your tongue_? What do you have to say for yourself?" the other boy demanded. Draco gave him a cold look as he drew himself straight and innocently asked "about what?". The other boy looked incensed as he spat "this…coming to Ravenclaw. What trick did you pull on Dumbledore?"

For a moment Draco felt discomfited before his old persona resurfaced and he responded nonchalantly "I was re-sorted in case you did not get the memo and I am amazed at the level of confidence you have in Dumbledore" he said sarcastically. "You make it seem that I am more powerful than Dumbledore which I assure you I am not or else you have so little faith in Albus Dumbledore which I again find stupid".

" _No_ , stupid is you being here where you are not wanted" Goldstein said drawing his wand "And why would a death eater like you defend Dumbledore? Wouldn't it be counterproductive should the news reach your precious Dark Lord" the other boy seemed even madder now that he was not getting answers from Draco. Draco had to admit that it was a fair argument but there were no answers that he could give.

Draco shrugged, and discreetly held his wand in case the other boy attacked. He was beginning to tire of the wait and wished that he was in the Great Hall already but then there was still one student before he could use the facilities. "Look Goldstein I have nothing to say to you. There are a lot of things at work here which are beyond your understanding so just let it go" he said hoping that this discussion would come to an end.

"What things? We are Ravenclaws. We can understand and besides how do _we_ know that you are not a death eater? How do we know that you being here is not part of a death eater plan?" Goldstein persisted very much like a dog with a bone. Draco sighed finally tired of the inquisition "you don't" he snapped as the other boy's eyes widened and drew his wand on Draco.

"So you do admit that you are a death eater?" he spat his eyes flashing with anger. Draco was aware of the rising tension in the room as the other boys including the ones who were dressed now drew around Goldstein and looked at him with suspicion. _Damn_! He cursed…one boy he could fight but the whole dorm…perhaps not. He stood weighing his options as the other boys drew their wands as well. _Great_! now he had five wands pointed at him. He could take them down in a duel but that would just mess up his stay in Ravenclaw for ever. So he pushed down his irritation and forced himself to stay in control. He was the Ice Prince after all. He could do this.

"No" he said softly "I admit nothing of the kind" he replied. But the flash in Goldstein's eyes did not diminish. "Then _prove_ it" Goldstein demanded "show us your arm". Draco stood transfixed. This was beyond humiliating and he felt his heartbeat against his chest. He now had the beginning of a headache as he wondered how his life had come to this.

He stood numb and mortified as he felt two boys move forward at the behest of Goldstein and he roused himself from the stupor. No…he recoiled in horror. His heart hammered in his chest _No!_ He was not going to be held like some common criminal and his hands bared for everyone to see. He had been bred in royalty and he still had some vestiges of his pride left. He held up his hand to halt their movement with a glare and nodded reluctantly to let them know that he would show them himself.

Slowly he drew back the sleeves on his left arm so that the bare expanse of pale skin came into view. He cringed at the mark of the magical bands on his wrist but thankfully all of their attention was focussed on the forearm where they looked for the damning dark mark.

"Fine" Goldstein muttered as he suddenly lifted his wand and said " _revelo_ ". Draco jerked as he felt the brush of magic on his skin and he looked sharply at the other boy his wand rising up on instinct. "I had to make sure that there was no glamour on your skin" Goldstein shrugged casually and Draco grit his teeth fighting to control his anger. He knew that he was on the brink of losing his patience and it was indeed fortuitous when a boy came out of the bathroom and suddenly it was his turn to go.

Without pausing, he brushed past and with a pointed look locked the door and only then shakily sank onto the toilet seat. The encounter had shaken him and left him feeling utterly humiliated. Was this how it was going to be now? Having to prove his innocence everywhere he went? The thought disturbed him more than he would let on.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. No, he was stronger than this. He had faced down the Dark Lord himself, who were these students to intimidate him? He was _Draco Malfoy_ and he would show the world how strong he was. With renewed determination he dressed in his neat robes and came out with his mask in place. They would not know how much this episode had cost him. He did not need them and he could survive alone in Ravenclaw if it came to that he thought as he strode out fully dressed.

However the dorm was empty as all the boys had left for breakfast. He too walked out hoping that he would be able to find his way without getting lost. But he was in luck. He found Luna Lovegood and Cho Chang rushing out of the door and decided that he would just follow them.

He heaved a sigh of relief as he reached the Great Hall without incident. He glanced at the Gryffindor table and sighed as he saw the trio at their usual seats. For a moment he was tempted to stop by the Gryffindor table but then Hermione would see right through his façade. He did not want to worry her and also wanted to avoid a scene which would surely be created if he told her about what happened.

So he just gave a glancing smile at the trio and made his way to the Ravenclaw table. No sooner than he was seated than he heard Nott call out from the Slytherin table. He froze as the words rang clear in the now silent hall. "Poor Draco…no friends, no cronies, no family, no money...what a tragedy. The prince is indeed a pauper".

Draco clenched his fist and pulled up his mask glancing a bit at the Gryffindor table. He almost wished that the golden trio had not heard the taunt. He really did not want any more squirmishes that morning. He could see the rage simmering in Hermione's eyes and the flash that was suppressed in Harry's even as Harry lay a hand on Hermione's arm to restrict her action.

He concentrated on ignoring Nott and reached for his breakfast as he heard Nott speak again. "Look at you ...you have already forgotten Slytherin…the house you lorded over. I am surprised that the Ravenclaws have let you near them. They don't know a thing about you do they Draco? They don't know what you are capable of do they?" he taunted as the Slytherin table laughed with Nott. Nott was twisting the knife of suspicion deep inside the Ravenclaws .

Draco winced and closed his eyes not daring to look around. He could practically feel the animosity around him as Luna and Cho turned around to shout "just shut up Nott". Nott chuckled evilly " _aww_ …Draco has someone to defend him from the big bad Slytherins" he teased.

At the Gryffindor table however it was taking Hermione everything she had to not run to Draco's side. She had taken one look at his face when he had come in alone and knew that something was wrong. Something had happened and it had upset him deeply. She could see it in the eyes that were masked over, in the tense set of his shoulders and in the smile that never reached his eyes.

"Oh Merlin! Harry, something has happened. Look at him" she muttered. Harry who until then had not noticed anything in particular turned to look at Draco properly and realised that Hermione was correct. There was something simmering there and he hoped for everyone's sake that Draco was not hurt.

"Do you think he was attacked?" she asked her voice becoming just a tad frantic. Harry laid a hand on her shoulder "calm down Mione. I don't know what happened but Draco is very capable of taking care of himself. He doesn't seem to be injured. So relax" he sought to reassure his worried friend.

"Why was he alone Harry…the Ravenclaws are not accepting him are they?" she fretted turning to Harry for reassurance. But it was Ron who answered for her "Hermione it's just been a day. You cannot expect everyone to forget the past in one day. Give it time. They will come around" he said in a rare burst of wisdom.

Hermione could not refute the truth of the statement but she dearly wished that she could be there for Draco. Her ire was further irked when Nott started his diatribe.

She felt herself getting angry as she started to rise in defence of Draco but she was halted once again by Harry. "This is his battle Mione" he said softly "he has to fight his way through this otherwise he might never be accepted". Hermione accepted the wisdom of the words but her heart twisted in anguish for Draco. This was not fair.

She was thankful that Draco was managing to control his anger but then Nott was refusing to give up. That evil git! She cursed under her breath. She knew that he was baiting Draco and once again felt pride as she noticed that Draco was not rising to the bait. _Yes my darling_! She thought…keep calm. Beat the evil git at his own game she urged mentally.

As she served herself breakfast she realised that Harry for all his words had also become tense and his hand was resting loosely on his wand. Everything would have been resolved and they would have remained calm had Nott not started his taunt again.

"Why Draco…one day in Ravenclaw and already two girls to your defence and yet you came in alone…Poor Draco. Are you getting your arse kicked by the Ravenclaws too? I do hope you survive the year all alone especially when they come to know what stock you come from" he mocked laying the seed of suspicion on thick. There was no mistaking the thinly veiled jab. He was taking things too far and Hermione could see that Draco was just barely maintaining his silence.

This time however Harry acted just as Severus Snape called out "That will be enough . That will twenty points from Slytherin for disturbing the peace at breakfast and for harassing a student from another house you get a detention with me at 7" sharply in a tone that left no doubt as to his displeasure.

Harry on his part got up deliberately and for the first time Hermione could see the power radiating from him. Yes, Harry was showing his "chosen one" side, one which he rarely let come to the fore. His eyes were cold glittering shards of emeralds as he very deliberately walked to the Ravenclaw table followed by Hermione and Ron who knew what he was doing.

He stopped near Draco and drew his wand. The rest of the hall had fallen silent trying to figure out the proceedings. Harry turned his wand on Theodore Nott as Hermione and Ron did the same. "Draco is not and never will be alone Nott. He has _us_ by his side which is more than what you can say for yourself. As for the rest of you I will say this just once". He paused and looked at each of the tables as the students hung onto his every word. "Draco is not a death eater and never has been. If anyone has a problem with that they can take it up with us" he said indicating himself, Ron and Hermione as well.

For a moment the old part of Draco, the part that had been bred a Malfoy felt incensed. He did not need a baby sitter. He could very well take care of himself and he definitely did not need Harry Bloody Potter to save him but then the new Draco came up with a new scenario. He _was_ outnumbered by the Slytherins who were all behind Nott and he did have his Slytherin self-preservation still ensconced within him.

It would not hurt to be allied with the chosen one, the one person who had battled the Dark Lord time _and_ again _and_ come out on top. So with all the dignity he could muster he looked at Harry and gave him a nod even as he heard the sound of a chair being pulled. He turned to see Neville Longbottom get to his feet.

"Harry if you say he is okay he is okay. I am with you" he called out as he walked to stand beside Harry. To say that Draco was surprised was the understatement of the century. This was a boy whom he had mocked for years and _he_ was showing support just out of loyalty to Potter? He had to accept that he would never understand Gryffindors.

Nonetheless he was not complaining. He _could_ use the support and he was smart enough to realise that the battle lines were being drawn. Yes the school was getting divided and he could not help but feel that he had been the cause of this divide.

His internal conflict was not unnoticed and he felt a warm hand slide into his own. "It's not your fault" Hermione said softly. Draco nodded as he responded "but it feels like it is" in an undertone just for her ears.

"But it's not" she insisted "and it's just as well we all know where everyone stands. It was bound to happen" she said even as the Weasley twins stood up to join Harry. Soon Ginny and the whole of the DA including members from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had joined Harry. Only the house of Slytherin sat alone with hard looks directed at Draco.

Terry Boot, a boy from their year in Ravenclaw walked forward and held out his hand to Draco. "Sorry about Goldstein. I am on your side for what it's worth" he said and Draco heaved a sigh of relief. He could do without more encounters with Anthony Goldstein. He clasped the boy's hand with a faint smile and a firm "thank you".

He refused to look at Hermione's enquiring glance at his words and wondered why the Professors had not broken up this gathering already when Harry spoke up. "Thank you for the support guys. I think it's better we finish breakfast and head to classes." He said and turned to Draco "May I?" he asked pointing at the empty seats near Draco and without waiting for a reply sat down beside Draco as Ron and Hermione did the same on the other side. Draco grinned to himself …only Harry could have pulled this off and with a style so unique to his character. It was almost panache… _almost_!

They were joined by Cho and Luna and soon the table had a lively conversation going. Looking at the teachers table, Draco could see the relief in Snape's eyes and the twinkle in Dumbledore's as Dumbledore nodded minutely in his direction. Yes Dumbledore had allowed the battle lines to be drawn.

 **Author notes** : Thank you for the awesome reviews. It made me incredibly happy and humble as well for the acceptance you have given this story. I am also sorry for the delay in this chapter and I promise that I will strive to complete it soon.


	46. Just another day

**Chapter 46 Just another day**

 **Disclaimer:** Its right there in the earlier chapters.

The rest of the day went past in a blur of classes even as Draco felt the glare of every upper year Slytherin trained on him throughout the day. Thankfully lunch went without any further incident from the Slytherins and it was with relief that Draco met Hermione at the library after the end of classes. Harry had managed to pass on a note to Draco during the day stating that they would be waiting for him at the library after classes. It did not need any major guess on his part to know that they would be looking into the history of the necklace.

So when he arrived at the library he found the three of them sitting at a table with a pile of books before them. He was not surprised to see that they were in some way connected to the founders. "Are you sure that ' _Hogwarts a history'_ has no mention of the founder's jewels or prized possessions?" he asked sinking into a chair next to Hermione.

Hermione turned towards him with a wide smile "what took you so long?" she asked as she engulfed him in a hug. "Well, it took me some time to come from the dungeons. My last class was potions. Have you guys been here a long time?" he asked hugging her back. Harry answered for the three of them "No not for long, and please don't tell me you are also into _Hogwarts a_ _history_?" he asked with a grimace.

Hermione hit him on the arm as Ron groaned dramatically "one is bad enough…two is too much. Harry we are doomed." He said hitting his head with his hand. Harry grinned as he turned to Hermione "Now I know why you chose him, you two deserve each other" He teased. "Anyway to answer your question Draco" he continued turning to a very amused and puzzled Draco who had been watching the exchange and wondering how anyone could resist reading the book. "Hermione is pretty sure that there is no mention of jewels in the book so we are kind of concentrating on other titles. We do not contest Hermione and _History_ _of Hogwarts_ especially when together" he said with a wink.

Draco turned thoughtful for a minute before he said "You know what? We should look for books that would talk about popular events of that time like say a ball or something and hitherto public appearances of the founders. They will probably have pictures of the founders in their finery. Look for the more frivolous books" he instructed.

"You mean like how _witch weekly_ is now? Did they even have anything like that in those times? Magazines I mean?" Ron asked with a quizzical look. "Well that is what we have to find out now. Come on guys let's look again. But how do you even come up with this Draco, I don't know" Harry said with a tired tone.

"Well I _was_ a Malfoy and social gatherings were pretty big on the agenda. I grew up in a house where parties and balls were a regular occurrence. My _mother_... would organise a lot of those" Draco replied his eyes tinged with moisture and his voice breaking a bit when he spoke of his mother.

"I am sorry for your loss Draco, I know it's not easy" Harry said getting up and squeezing Draco's shoulder while Hermione threaded her hand through Draco's offering silent comfort. Draco reciprocated holding onto her hand as well and soaking in the feeling of companionship that it offered.

" _But_ the sooner we get this cracking the sooner we get the evil git and we can avenge their deaths" Harry continued with firm determination "So come on" he urged. Draco roused himself from the chair and got up to gather some old publications and other likely books that might have pictures of the founders.

After half an hour of poring over different old articles, they finally hit the jackpot. Hermione gave an excited yelp which earned her an annoyed glance from Madam Pince not that they paid much attention. Their attention was focussed solely on Hermione and the book she was holding "Guys I think this is it" she said waving the boys over.

The three boys crowded around Hermione to see the faded old painting of Rowena Ravenclaw with the necklace around her neck. The painting was printed on the page carrying the headline " _The different paintings of Rowena Ravenclaw"._

"But this is not conclusive you know" Draco said as Hermione nodded in affirmation. "Yes I know…this is only a reprint of a painting. Maybe we can find some written detail about this painting" she said. "Does the painting have a name?" Ron asked. Hermione squinted to see the fine print and said "No it does not have a name, only a caption. Rowena Ravenclaw seen wearing the family heirloom jewels". She said triumphantly.

The other three shared a glance "now I think that is pretty conclusive. If we can back it up with some other book it would be better but for now we can take this as authentic information. Perhaps we should meet tomorrow and also get some information on what the family heirloom jewels of Helga Hufflepuff are. Might as well keep a lookout for other possible you know _what_ " Draco said pointedly.

The others agreed and Harry suggested that they move to the room of requirement for a while to discuss the situation further. "It's a relief to not have to sneak around when I am with you guys anymore. I was getting quite sick of the invisibility cloak even if it is a very good one" Draco muttered aloud as they set right the books and made their way to the room of requirement.

Once they were inside the room they immediately took seats on the chairs that had cropped up and debated the situation. "Now that we know that the necklace was indeed the founder's I think Dumbledore has the right idea" Ron said "but I don't think that the other horcrux should necessarily be a piece of jewellery as well. It could be something else that is valuable as well".

"You have a point Ron. I think we should look at family heirlooms on the whole instead of just jewellery" Hermione added as the others nodded thoughtfully. She turned to Draco "Draco you come from a long line of purebloods as well. Your family is kind of ancient too right?" she asked. He nodded not knowing where she was going with the question.

"What kind of heirlooms does your family have?" she asked. The others lapsed into silence for a few minutes and then Draco spoke up "The Malfoy family has many heirlooms but the most prominent and the most important is the Malfoy signet ring that you might see my father wearing." He said without any trace of emotion in his voice.

For a moment his memory was clouded with images of his past life, of his father and mother and Malfoy Manor and he became lost in thought. Hermione gently nudged him "I am sorry that I brought back the things that you probably want to forget but I thought maybe we will get a clue from it" she said lamely.

Draco simply shrugged "It's alright. It's my past Hermione, it's not going to disappear in an instant. And by the way guys, thanks for standing up for me. At breakfast you know... I appreciate it" he said clearly wanting to take the conversation in a different direction.

"You are welcome. Just remember that you have friends now" Harry said with a smile as he punched Draco in the shoulder and added "and by the way be careful when you are alone okay? I have a feeling that your previous housemates are not going to back out just because I said so".

"You are right. They will not but don't worry. I can take care of myself" Draco responded but Hermione butted in "Then why were you so disturbed in the morning Draco? Did something happen in Ravenclaw? Aren't they being nice to you?" she asked concern etched on her countenance.

Draco ran a hand through his hair and exhaled "It was nothing …There is no problem." He said his voice a bit hesitant but Hermione caught on, not convinced in the least "but you didn't look like it was nothing Draco. What aren't you telling us?" she persisted.

"Leave it Hermione. I said everything is _fine_ didn't I?" Draco said in a controlled voice "but…" Hermione insisted but Draco wanted nothing further than to forget that morning. The tension that he had carried through the day finally came to the fore and he burst out " _leave it alone_ Hermione. I am not one of your pet projects" he snapped getting to his feet in anger but relented when he saw the flash of hurt in the brown eyes of his girlfriend.

"Oii don't snap at her. She was just worried" Ron said sticking up for Hermione. Hermione however was not daunted. "Damn it Draco. When will you understand that we are there for you? You don't have to do everything alone. Let us in…do you understand?" She stood up and faced him looking at him her eyes boring into his as she pleaded softly "let us in..let _me_ in Draco please".

The atmosphere remained tense for a while and Harry softly cleared his throat "It's okay Draco. Your ways are different and we don't want to pressurise you. Take your time. We are not going anywhere" he said breaking the tension.

"But I swear I am going to go mad worrying about you" Hermione said softly her eyes becoming clouded over with tears. "We don't get to see you in any of the classes and we don't know what the hell is happening in Ravenclaw. It's driving me crazy especially after Terry Boot made that remark about Anthony Goldstein. What is that all about anyway? What if you get hurt? What if you need help?" she ranted with worry.

Draco got to his feet and came over to her. He hugged her to him as she clung to him laying her head on his shoulder. He smoothed her hair gently calming her down and slowly set her down on the sofa. He then sunk down in front of her and loosely held her hand. "Hermione thank you for worrying about me but please there is no need to worry. I am not as fragile as you think. I can take care of myself. You _know_ that. If I am not fighting back now it's because it's not the wisest thing to do right now. Nothing will happen to me and you have to believe that ok?" he said his voice soft and washing over her in soft waves even as he looked deep into her eyes.

Harry and Ron looked at each other with unease as well as disbelief. It felt like they were intruding on a private moment and they could not believe that this was the high and mighty Draco Malfoy who was on his knees and talking in such loving tones to their friend. They stood for a moment undecided on what to do when Draco looked at them over her head and inclined his head gesturing them to sit as well.

Once they had taken their seats he took a deep breath and looked at the three of them. He seemed to have come to a decision. "Okay since you are so worried I will tell you what happened. You were right. There was an incident in the Ravenclaw dorms this morning" he said cautiously looking at the three of them for their reaction. When they seemed to be calm he continued. He quickly ran through the events of the morning trying his level best to gloss over the events but that did not prevent the other three from becoming angry at what happened.

"I never thought I would say this and to you of all people but what Goldstein did was wrong. You did not deserve that" Ron said quietly addressing Draco. Draco looked up surprised and then nodded with a slight smile to show that he appreciated the sentiment. Hermione however remained silent for a few minutes and then voiced what she had already decided "you see this is why we need some way of knowing if you need help" she said quietly.

The others looked at her curiously and waited for her to expand on her thoughts knowing that she would have already thought of a solution. "I have been thinking…I will make two pendants with the protean charm which we can use for communication. I will have one and you the other. Is that acceptable?" she asked hesitatingly knowing how much Draco valued his privacy.

Draco turned over the idea in his mind. He would never admit it but the idea of being able to communicate with Hermione at will appealed to him. It would help him tide over the feelings of loneliness that assailed him in the Ravenclaw tower. He doubted that he would call her in a dangerous situation but he would deal with it when it came. For now he was content to have a means of communication with his girlfriend.

"Yes that is acceptable to me" he said as Hermione raised her eyebrows "you _agreed_? Just like that? And here I was preparing a speech" she said with a mischievous smirk. Draco smirked in turn as Ron interrupted "I think I liked it better when you two were fighting" he quipped.

"Sorry to interrupt the sweet moment and all that but do you think we can do a quick practice session of our wand less shields before we head down for dinner?" Harry proposed and then added as an afterthought "by the way the pendant is a great idea Hermione". Practice seemed a good idea and the teens quickly got down to practising the wand less shields which they were quite adept at by now.

At the end of an invigorating session after which they felt immensely better and hungry they cast a tempus to see that it was time for dinner. This time they went down for dinner together before heading to their respective house tables in the Great Hall.

 **Author notes** : Wishing everyone the season's greetings and it will be a great Christmas gift if you can review and let me know what you think. As ever, I am thankful for the support and also sorry that I am not keeping to a fixed schedule for updates. One thing I am particular about is however the fact that I will finish the story for sure and so see you on the next update!


	47. Chapter 47 challenged again

**Chapter 47 Challenged again**

Warning for mild swearing

The next day the four teens worked through the day with single minded determination. They _had_ to locate the next horcrux, quite possibly one that belonged to Helga Hufflepuff. For some reason, Godric Gryffindor did not cross their minds especially Draco's. From a Slytherin's point of view it just did not seem right but then he thought fleetingly that You-know -Who would probably make it into a horcrux just to prove a point.

However Harry quickly dispelled the idea when he mentioned that he had felt no evil vibes when he handled the sword in his second year. That kind of set their path on Hufflepuff which was why they were seated once again in the library doing their best to locate anything of value to Helga Hufflepuff.

"I don't think I have come to the library so much in the last six years put together" Ron whined as Hermione gave him a playful swat. "Neither have I Ron, neither have I" Harry joined in as Draco rolled his eyes and remarked dryly "it's a wonder then that you passed your exams Potter. I suppose you owe it all to Hermione" as Harry gave him a blissful smile affirming his theory.

"You have spoilt them you know" Draco said looking at Hermione with an amused smile as he helped them look through the books on founders. "Why do ladies have to have so much of jewellery anyway?" Ron cribbed as he was looking at Helga Hufflepuff's assets. "And why would anyone put the symbol of a badger on a _cup_ of all things _and_ make it a family heirloom to boot?" he asked with a puzzled sigh.

" _Wait_! What cup? Show me" Draco demanded as he moved to see the cup displayed on the page that Ron was holding open. "Shit! Ron you are a genius but this means we also have a problem" he said looking at the three others.

"What? _I am a genius_?" Ron grinned smugly as Hermione butted in with "what problem Draco?" almost at the same time. Draco sighed "Ron forget that I said that. Put it down to stress" he muttered as Ron glared and continued to say "what I meant to say was that we got the horcrux alright but we can't lay our hands on it". Harry looked up sharply "explain" he said simply as Ron muttered "as against riddles, no pun intended" under his breath.

"The cup _is_ the horcrux" Draco declared and added "but getting it is going to be impossible" as he sank down further in his seat. "Why? We have done some crazy things in the recent past. We can probably get this too" Ron quipped.

"Not from a Gringotts vault can you?" Draco said quietly leaving the three others gob smacked until Harry recovered enough to ask "should I even ask whose? Even if I get the general drift" his tone sombre as well.

Draco fell silent and then said softly "Lucius Malfoy". " _Shit! This is_ _just..shit_. Why does everything with you-know- who come back to your goddamned family again?" Ron swore as Harry looked up contemplatively "would your father have sealed the vault against you? Would it already be in effect or do we have a small chance left?" he asked looking at Draco directly.

"It's sealed against me and knowing him _especially_ me" Draco said as Hermione gently held his hand at the flash of pain in his eyes. She was definitely becoming better at reading him she mused even as she mulled over the new problem. The possibility of breaking into Gringotts was terrifying and she was hoping that she could think of another way to do this.

"We have to tell Professor Snape, he might be able to help" she said but Draco forestalled her "I have an idea but not here. It's time we move to our base" he said referring to the room of requirement which indeed had become a sort of base for them.

They quickly adjourned to the room of requirement where they stared at Draco waiting for him to expand on his idea. He took a deep breath "we have to break into Gringotts …only not as ourselves" he said as the others looked at him deep in thought. "Polyjuice you mean" Harry said as Draco nodded "I will go as my father. It is the only chance we have" he said.

"No it is too risky. We will have to think of something else" Hermione said even as Harry stopped her. "Hermione I am sorry but he is right. This is the most plausible plan but since it is polyjuice it need not necessarily be Draco" he said even as he acknowledged inwardly that Draco _was_ the best candidate in this case as he knew his father best. But then he could not knowingly send him into danger again. Draco had already been hurt too many times in this cause lately.

"Potter don't be daft. Of course it has to be me. I know my father best" Draco said as he reiterated his case "besides even if we run out of time I resemble him enough to buy us a few minutes". The others could not fault the logic even as a cold ball of settled in Hermione's stomach at the thought of Draco being in danger yet again. She would be happy to see the end of all this, really.

"Okay I have to concede that what you say makes sense but I propose one small change. I will be with you wearing my invisibility cloak. I am not sending you in alone and besides two of us will be better than one in this case. You need back up" Harry added as he looked at the other three.

"You know it doesn't have to be you all the time Harry. I can go too" Ron said seriously but Harry held up a hand "and wait for you two to kill each other? I don't think so" he teased as Ron pouted and said "hey that's not fair".

"No seriously, there's another reason I want to be the one to accompany Draco" Harry declared looking at the three others who were having curious looks on their faces "If it comes down to it I would cast some dark spells which I don't think you would readily do Ron" he explained quietly.

Ron fell silent for a minute thinking over what Harry had said and acknowledged the truth of the statement but he had a doubt "you are right I might not be able to do it but will _you_ be able to do it?"

Harry did not miss a beat as he replied "even when I was not ready for it I have cast the unforgiveable or have you forgotten that? Now when I am more open to the idea I think I will not hesitate especially when it's for the good. The lines between light and dark spells is blurred and these days I am rather in favour of casting dark spells and staying alive than sticking to _expelliarmus_ and meeting our maker if you get the idea. Seriously Ron, trust me if our wands hadn't connected at the graveyard I wouldn't be here today. I don't want to be facing an _avada_ with just an _expelliarmus_ ever again. It is the most stupid thing ever believe me" he said fervently with a faint shudder.

"Point taken mate but you know I seriously think the sorting hat needs to take a break. I mean here you are, the quintessential Gryffindor who is sounding like a Slytherin while the epitome of Slytherin is now in Ravenclaw. And don't even get me started on Hermione here who reads more books than the whole Ravenclaws put together and she's in Gryffindor,,it's mental" Ron quipped breaking the charged atmosphere causing everyone to break into a smile.

"I think the sorting hat realised that you two needed me to ground you and voila I am in Gryffindor" Hermione said with a smile before she became serious "anyways coming to the plan , not that I like it but how are we going to get Lucius's hair?" she asked.

"Well that is where Severus comes in I suppose" Draco said as he added "we have to ask him though". Harry got to his feet and cast a tempus and said "by the way it's time for dinner and Ron and I still have homework to finish. How are we going to speak to Snape?" he asked and then proceeded to answer his own question "Draco can you send him an owl using one of the school owls? I am afraid Hedwig is far too noticeable. Set up a meeting with him tomorrow please".

Draco got to his feet nodding "will do. Now can I have a few moments with my girlfriend please if you don't mind? I am afraid I have been ignoring her lately" he said with a pointed look in the boy's direction. "Fine we are going. Come Harry" Ron said with a grimace and made a quick exit followed by Harry who cautioned "don't take too long".

Draco turned to Hermione and pulled her to him. She was looking up at him with a smile and Draco could not resist placing a kiss on her lips that were just so kissable. What started as a peck soon turned out to be a heavy snogging session and soon both of them were in a state of dishevelled attire. Draco's hair was totally mussed, a fact that made Hermione grow weak in the knees and not much could be said for Hermione's shirt which was now half tucked and half not.

Draco slowly disengaged himself from her and looked at her upturned face. "Thank you for everything" he said solemnly and quickly held up a hand to forestall her objections "will you join me for a date here in the room of requirement tomorrow?" he asked with just a touch of hesitation.

"I would love to" Hermione said simply as she hugged him around the waist. "But I am so scared for you. Please Draco be careful. I don't know what I would do if you are hurt" she said plaintively.

"Ha! Didn't you know? I am Draco the great whom even Harry Potter fears. I am indestructible so my fair lady fret not. Your love is safe and sound" Draco responded pompously as Hermione laughed aloud. "Yeah right. But that is not going to stop me from making the pendant. It is required even more now. So let us get going, I want to make the pendants tonight. You are not going to Gringotts without it" she said as she moved away from him and led him to the door by the hand.

He followed her with a mischievous grin and a raised eyebrow "Oh I love it when you take charge like this" as Hermione glared at him and walked to the Great Hall where they parted to go to their respective tables amidst much curiosity. No sooner had she sat down than Lavender and Parvati bombarded her with questions.

"Gosh Hermione are you with Malfoy now?" Lavender asked her voice a mix of astonishment and a touch of jealousy. Hermione pondered over her response. She honestly had no issues with coming out with her relationship with Draco but she had no idea if that would be alright with him. So she took the safer route and said "no Lavender we are very good friends but that's it for now".

But Parvati would not hear of it "Hermione you have to tell us all about Draco. Oh Merlin! He's such a hunk, do you think he would mind if I ask him out?" she said and Hermione glared as Ron spluttered next to her.

She sensed Harry holding in his laughter even if his eyes were dancing with mirth as she turned a severe eye to Parvati and said "I am pretty sure he's not looking for a relationship now. Sorry you better look elsewhere".Parvati groaned in disappointment as she muttered "you are probably saving him for yourself" under her breath as Harry caught Hermione's eye and smiled mischievously.

As she ate she glanced at Draco and realised that he had been looking at their table intently no doubt trying to guess what was going on. She however had work to do and rushed through dinner after which she made a hasty exit to her dorm so that she could start work on the pendants. Once ensconced on her bed she fished out a couple of galleons and started her protean charm on it. She made some additional changes which would personalise the charm between the two of them and set it aside.

She then rummaged in her jewellery and located two chains among which she transfigured one of them to make it slightly thicker and manlier. Once the chains were ready she threaded her galleons like a pendant and lay it aside with a relieved sigh. It made her immensely relieved to know that she now had a way of knowing of Draco was in danger and she vowed to give it to him the next day when she would meet him for their date.

Date..the word made her smile. After living at a breakneck pace a date seemed relaxed. What would be the start of a relationship in the case of others was making an appearance when she was in the thick of one. Looking back she was not sure when she had become so attached to Draco but her life was definitely entwined with his now. She could not imagine being away from him and she hoped it would not change when all this settled down.

The prospect of living with Draco in the future no longer seemed weird but inviting instead. She sighed, she was over reaching, looking far too ahead. She needed to just deal with the here and now and concentrate on getting everyone out alive and well. The future will take care of itself she decided as she drifted off to sleep.

Draco on the other hand had decided to quickly send the message to Snape before curfew as he was not sure that there would be time in the morning. He held the parchment in his hand and made his way to the owlery lost in thought. His mind was focussed so much on Gringotts and the horcruxes that he failed to notice the shadow that was following him.

He entered the dimly lit owlery and made his way towards the barn owl sitting on the perch when he heard a slight sound behind him. Cursing his lapse in attention, he instantly reached for his wand. His carelessness had however cost him a few seconds and the curse caught him even as he half turned. He felt the bolt of red light slam into his back and tried to see who it was but all he could see was a figure in the shadows with nothing to pinpoint his or her identity.

He feebly tried to ward off the blackness descending upon his senses and attempted to stand up. He had to get to the hospital wing or one of his friends he thought but the effort was too much. He slid to his knees as the pain from the curse became overwhelming and he succumbed to the darkness wondering if the Ravenclaws would even notice his empty bed.

 **Author notes** : A very happy new year to you! As always your support is my much needed boost and nothing makes me happier than to see your reviews in my inbox. Thank you for the support and please do read and review!


	48. Chapter 48 dating and discovering

**Chapter 48 Dating and discovering**

 **Disclaimer** : None of the characters are mine. The story however is!

Severus Snape awoke feeling disoriented and off balance as he tried to identify the noise that had roused him from sleep. It took him a couple of minutes to realise that it was a voice calling for him in the floo. He listened intently and identified the voice as Flitwick's. If Flitwick was calling him this late at night it could only mean one thing.

He rushed to the floo and called out "Filius, I am here. What is it?" he asked. Flitwick's voice came out in a rush "Thank goodness you are here Severus, it's Draco". A flash of fear speared through Snape even as he remained calm on the surface. "What happened to him? For Merlin's sake tell me" he urged.

"He's missing Severus. He never made it to bed. The boys noticed and came to me. Before venturing out to search I thought you would like to be notified" Flitwick said his voice bordering on panic as well.

Severus's mind raced trying not to think of the more frightening options but he knew that the first thing that he should do was to ask the golden trio. He knew that Draco had been spending a lot of time with them lately and they were the best candidates for information.

"Filius it will be better if you step through to my quarters. I have an idea and it will be better if you go with me" he said stepping aside to let Flitwick through. Stopping only to pull on a dressing gown, he talked to Flitwick even as he strode towards the entrance "Draco was last seen with Potter and his friends. Maybe they would know where he went and perhaps it would be a good idea to let Minerva know as well" he explained as he made his way to the tower in rapid strides.

He was hardly aware of Flitwick struggling to match his stride or of the patronus that he sent mid stride to Minerva asking her to come to the Gryffindor tower. His mind was on over drive and he knew that he was torturing himself with the different frightening possibilities of where Draco was at this moment. For all he knew he could be in the Dark Lord's hands and that was one possibility that he was neither willing to contemplate nor accept.

Soon they arrived at the tower to find a puzzled Minerva McGonagall waiting for them at the entrance. Flitwick quickly brought her to speed and without wasting any time they made their way to the boys dorm. Severus took one look at Ron and realising the futility of the situation decided waking up Potter would be much faster.

He quickly roused the Gryffindor who became alert far too quickly for a teenager and asked him about Draco. Potter looked at him keenly "Sir there are several things which we have to tell you but that will have to wait and the last we know of Draco was of him heading to Ravenclaw" he said slowly before stopping abruptly "but Professor we did ask him to send you an owl asking for a meeting. What if he decided to do it now instead of morning?" he asked thoughtfully.

"You sent him to the owlery alone?" Severus snapped with an angry look but he was interrupted by Ron who had woken up with all the noise. "Of course not Professor. We didn't think that he would be so dumb as to do it in the night instead of morning and anyway he was the one who was going on about how he could take care of himself" Ron said sounding annoyed at being held responsible yet again for something they did not do.

"Professor with all due respect you should check the owlery immediately and shout at us later" Harry interrupted which brought back Severus to his senses. What the hell was wrong with him? He thought. Draco could be hurt and here he was assigning blame. He curtly nodded and strode towards the owlery followed by Minerva who lagged behind to let Hermione Granger know of the developments at the boys behest while the boys and Flitwick followed him to the owlery.

They were assaulted with darkness in the owlery and it cost them a few minutes to get used to the night light. They immediately spread out until Professor Flitwick called out for their attention. But before they could react, they heard Hermione's voice "Oh my God! Draco" and they turned to see Hermione rush to Draco's crumpled form followed closely by McGonagall.

Snape moved swiftly "Move over Miss Granger, he needs to go to the hospital wing" he said hoisting Draco's still form in his arms. Knowing that the others would follow him, he made his way quickly to the hospital wing where he was immediately accosted by the matron. She ran her wand over Draco's body and turned to address the group who were silent and tense.

"It was a mild blasting curse which hit him in the back. I am afraid he's going to be a bit bruised and sore for a couple of days but otherwise he will be alright. We have to be thankful that the curse was mild which actually makes no sense." She sighed "If someone wanted to hurt him why did they do so with a curse that would actually _not_ hurt him much?" she asked looking at Snape for answers.

Snape massaged the bridge of his nose before answering her query "It appears to be a warning Poppy undoubtedly from the house of Slytherin. However only Draco can shed light on who the actual perpetrator or perpetrators were" he said grimly.

"Are you sure that it is the Slytherins Severus?" McGonagall asked as Severus responded with "who else could it be?" .However Flitwick shifted uneasily as he hesitatingly said "I am ashamed to say that it could be my Ravenclaws too. Some of them I am afraid haven't accepted Draco in Ravenclaw as yet".

Severus Snape turned to the three teenagers "Did you know anything about it?" he demanded. The three of them nodded sadly as Harry piped up "that and a host of other things we need to talk to you about Sir" he said with a meaningful look.

"Yes we will talk but this complicates matters" Severus mused as Ron spoke up "I bet it is that Nott" he said with anger. "Whether it is the Slytherins or the Ravenclaws we cannot prove anything unless Draco actually saw him. However we gain nothing by being here now. It is late and you three should go back to bed" Severus urged the teenagers.

Hermione was however not deterred, she had to assure herself that Draco was alright. Seeing him in the bed made her queasy and she quickly made her way to his side. She brushed aside the strands of hair that fell on his forehead and leaned forward to place a tender kiss on his pale skin.

She then rejoined the others as McGonagall said "Well I will take my leave as I assume that the three of you have something to discuss with Severus. Come on Filius, I am sure that Severus will escort these three to Gryffindor" and swept away with Flitwick following her footsteps.

Severus turned to the three teenagers "So what have you found out?" he asked as he cast a privacy spell around them. The three teens quickly filled him on the events of the last few days ending with "Sir we need your help with finding Lucius Malfoy's hair".

"Then you are in luck. I already have Lucius Malfoy's hair. In fact I have a hair of all the inner circle just in case I needed it for myself at some point" he said noticing the stunned expression on the teenagers face. "Well…wow" Ron said weakly echoing the sentiments of the others.

Harry took a deep breath "well that is one problem solved. Thank you sir." Snape however looked severe "It is too late to be discussing strategies. But make no mistake, we will have a full discussion about this later. I don't want you to go in with half-baked plans. Now let's get to your tower shall we?" he said putting a stop to the discussion and motioning for the teens to start walking.

He stopped to have a final word with Poppy and to gently lay a hand on Draco's forehead before heading out himself. They reached the tower in silence where the boys and Hermione bid good night to the potions master and made their way to their beds.

The next morning the three of them made their way to the hospital wing and were happy to see that Draco was awake. Severus Snape was already at his side. "Hey good morning sleeping beauty, how are you feeling? Perhaps I should give you my bed here?" Harry teased as Draco glared back.

Hermione rushed to Draco's side and mock glared at her friend. "Draco what happened last night? Do you know who cursed you?" she asked without preamble. Draco shook his head in the negative and filled them in on what happened as he took Hermione's hand loosely in his. He looked down as he asked "how did you find me?"

"The Ravenclaws approached Filius and he came to me" Severus explained as he said "You do know what this is don't you?" looking at Draco with concern. Draco nodded "Yes I do know that this is a warning and it smacks of Slytherin".

"So you don't think it's any Ravenclaws?" Harry asked and Draco shook his head again. "No, I was too professionally shadowed and the attack was done under cover of darkness. This kind of planning is more Slytherin than Ravenclaw. Agreed the Ravenclaws are smart enough but they are not sneaky enough".

"However this just shows you have to be more alert and aware" Severus said at which point they were joined by Poppy Pomfrey who quickly waved her wand over Draco and pronounced him fit to leave but warned him of some residual soreness that might linger. She ordered a light breakfast for him and left him to go about her duties.

"You can finish breakfast and come straight for the first class Draco. The elves have already brought up your clothes. You three better head down to breakfast too." Severus urged as he got up to lead the way. Hermione however stopped "I will join you in a couple of minutes keep going" she said.

The others nodded and made their way and Hermione turned to Draco "hey handsome, you scared me. Don't you dare pull such tricks in the future" she said with a pseudo angry expression.

"Yes madam point noted" Draco said with a smile before he lifted her hand in his and placed a kiss on the back of her hand his warm breath ghosting across her skin. "So I am handsome am I?" he teased gently as the blush colored Hermione's cheeks. His eyes were intense as he held her gaze and said "I am looking forward to our date Hermione".

"But you are not well Draco. You should rest. It is alright, we can have the date later" Hermione protested as Draco placed a finger over her lips effectively silencing her. "I am fine and I _will_ see you in the room of requirement at shut up and kiss me" he commanded with a smile even as his eyes smouldered within it's depths.

Hermione needed no second urging as she leaned down and kissed him softly but then his hand had found it's way to the back of her head and the kiss became hard and demanding as he claimed every inch of her soul. She would never tire of his kisses she thought. It was so complete and so uniquely Draco.

However it was getting late and she reluctantly relinquished her grip on Draco and stood up. "See you soon" she murmured and quickly made her way to the Great Hall thinking of what she would wear in the evening. Since there was no official school ball this year she had not packed any formal clothes, she had not purchased any new gowns and all she had with her was the gown she had used for the Yule Ball in fourth year.

She ransacked her mind for ideas until she decided that she would just transfigure the dress a bit and hoped that it would still fit her without demanding too many changes. She also decided that she would give the pendant to Draco at the date.

With a small smile gracing her lips she entered the Great Hall and made her way to where her friends were. She deliberately sat next to Ginny who turned to her "someone seems to be in a good mood. What's brewing Mione?" she asked with a mischievous smile.

"Gin I need your help. I am meeting Draco for a date this evening and I don't know what to wear" she despaired in a whisper. Ginny looked thoughtful for a moment and then a smile appeared on her face. "How about you borrow my dress from the Yule Ball and make a few variations. We are kind of similar in sizes and I honestly don't think that Draco would have noticed what _I_ wore to the Yule Ball. We can do up your hair really nicely and you should do a bit of make up as well. Don't worry, leave it all to me although the dress transfiguration is something you better take care of" she declared with a flourish.

"What are you two whispering about?" Ron enquired curiously as Ginny replied "girl stuff" airily. "Whatever" he mumbled as they went through their breakfast so that they could get to the classes. "Did the Ravenclaws even bother that Draco is not at their table?" she asked as they walked to the potions lab which was the first class for the day.

"Well Terry Boot and some of the girls did ask us. We let them know that he was not well and was in the hospital wing and that he would join them soon" Harry replied. "Well that is some improvement I guess" Hermione sighed as they found themselves in the classroom where the Slytherins were lounging with arrogant smiles on their faces.

"Where is your new friend Potter? Heard that he is grovelling at the feet of Lucius Malfoy" Nott muttered just so that Ron and Harry could hear. Ron's face turned red and Harry's eyes turned hard as he gritted his teeth "he is fine and he _will_ be fine Nott, _unlike_ some people who are in for rough times" he said emphasizing the underlined threat.

" _ooo I am so terrified Potty_ " Nott laughed as he hissed in undisguised malice "ask the traitor to watch out. He cannot escape forever". Harry glared at him as Severus Snape intervened " and stop disrupting the class. That's ten points from Gryffindor. Now _sit_ down all of you and let's begin" he thundered.

"Well that hasn't changed" Ron muttered as they went through the class motioning to a curious Hermione that they would update her later. It was very clear who had orchestrated the attack but they couldn't prove anything not a single damn thing. Besides, the fact that Nott seemed so cocky niggled at Harry. He seemed just so sure of himself and he made a mental note to take the pendants from Hermione at the earliest.

However they narrated only a glossed over version of the events to Hermione and made it seem like an idle threat. She was wound up as it was and they did not want to escalate her worry.

The evening arrived and Hermione realised that she had problems of a different kind. "Are you sure that this will work Gin?" she fretted looking at the shimmering gold gown that was spread out on the bed. Ginny had suggested lightening the dark brown tone to a golden one so that it would complement Hermione's chocolate brown eyes.

It was an off the shoulder dress that had a broad bodice that would really show off her small waist. It then had a soft flare that stopped at her knees. "Hermione relax, you will look gorgeous, trust me. Draco is not going to be able to keep his hands off you" she teased. Hermione blushed at the thought " _Gin_ …" she groaned "come off it. Now do something with this hair of mine _pleaaase_ " she begged.

Over the next hour the two girls swirled and twirled until Hermione stood glowing in her ensemble. "Mione you look so pretty. Now stop over thinking that brilliant mind of yours, let go and just enjoy" Ginny advised.

"Yes mother" Hermione replied with a twinkle as she stopped to gather the two pendants that she had made. "Gin I don't really fancy walking to the seventh floor dressed like this. Can you get Harry's cloak for me?" she asked.

Ginny acquiesced and rushed to get the cloak. She was back in record time huffing out of breath. "Well the boys are very curious but I didn't say anything. Now scoot and have a nice time" she urged shoving the cloak into Hermione's arms.

Five minutes later Hermione found herself in front of the room of requirement asking to be let in the room where she had a date with Draco. She stepped inside and stopped dead in her tracks. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the soft floating candles that illuminated the room in soft dim light. There was a table in the middle of the room adorned with a single rose and boasted of a wine bottle and two crystal chalices. There was a red carpet to the table and she could see rose petals strewn on them.

But most of all she was captivated by Draco as he stood dressed impeccably in a dark green silk shirt which she never thought would accentuate his grey eyes and black trousers that looked like it had moulded to his legs. His soft blonde hair fell loosely giving him roguish good looks.

He approached her and held out a hand to her. She placed her hand in his and was rewarded with the soft touch of his lips. He gallantly gave her his arm and led her to the table. From somewhere soft music started playing as he offered her a glass of wine which she accepted still in a warm daze.

"Draco this is beautiful" she said smiling at him. "Yes the room executed my demands rather spectacularly" he agreed with a smile of his own. "So what would you like for dinner" he asked and she smiled at him mischievously as she replied "Indian".

" _Really_? Then you would have to order as I am clueless about it" he said. She laughed "I was just kidding" she confessed "I don't know much about it. Actually I am fine with anything" she said.

"But you know what?" he declared throwing up his hands "We should probably try it, what do you say? Are you up to a gastronomic adventure?" he asked still with a smile. "Fine by me but we don't know Indian food Draco…how are we going to order? And talking of order I didn't think the room can supply food? Isn't it exempt to magical laws? She queried.

"Yes it is exempt which is why I have to do this" he said and called out "Dobby". Soon the little elf was standing before them "Master Draco what can Dobby be bringing?" he asked bouncing on his heels.

"Well Dobby you see we need your help. We want to try Indian food but we have no idea how to go about it. Can you help?" Draco asked the elf not really hoping for a positive response but he was surprised. Dobby became excited and he exclaimed "Of course Master Draco I is helping you. One of the elves in the kitchen used to work for an Indian family before she came here. I will ask her to send up some food with labels so you is knowing what it is".

"Oh thank you Dobby" Hermione gushed as the elf shyly replied "I is happy to help" and vanished. "In the meantime Mione, tell me what it is that you like to eat…any favourites?" Draco asked.

The next few minutes they chatted about their interests and discovered to their immense pleasure that they shared the love for music and books. Even their taste in books was quite similar as they both tended towards the classics or towards the ones written in old English.

The food arrived in the middle of their conversation on the places that they had travelled to. There was a steaming pot which said 'carrot ginger soup' which looked rather appetising and needed no clarification. However the other labels were unfamiliar.

Draco looked at the plate titled Indian bread (Nan) to see what looked like flattened bread in the shape of a semi-circle. The second casserole had the tag Vegetarian pulao which was basically rice with vegetables and spices that were unfamiliar to him. It had a strong fragrance and was unlike anything that he had ever smelled.

The other two vessels seemed to have some types of gravy that were labelled chicken tikka masala and fish curry. The tray also had a small note that gave instructions on how to eat the food. The only things that struck a chord with the two were the words 'chicken' and 'fish'.

"Well here goes nothing" Draco said as he gingerly tore off a piece of the bread and added some gravy to it before consuming it. Immediately he was overwhelmed by a plethora of flavours. "Wow this is actually good. I can't believe that I didn't think of trying it before" he said.

Hermione nodded her own mouth full of the food. She swallowed the food and nodded "I agree, I love this. Draco add this to one more of the things that we both like". Over the next half an hour they talked about a variety of topics ranging from being the only child to Hermione educating him on the world of movies as they went through the food.

Just as they finished the main course small plates arrived in front of them with the label 'kesar kulfi (dessert)'. They each took a small piece and immediately loved it. They had never known ice cream like this. "Damn they should introduce this at Florean's. Perhaps we should suggest this to him" Draco said as Hermione fervently agreed.

After a few minutes of demolishing the dessert they sat in agreeable silence before Draco got to his feet and held out a hand to Hermione "would you dance with me" he asked his voice husky and low.

Hermione did not hesitate and stood up with her hand in his. A slow song filled the room and they waltzed in tune with each other. Hermione rested her head on his shoulder as his hand rested on her waist and the just moved totally lost in each other. In here, time had no meaning and the outside world had ceased to exist.

The song wound down and Draco looked at Hermione's upturned face. She had a peaceful smile and he found himself smiling with her. Everything was forgotten as he leaned down to capture her lips with his own. His hand lingered on her bare shoulder and she felt a warm shudder go through her as he trailed his fingers over her bare skin. Tracing circles with his fingers he said "thank you for this evening Mione. It was beautiful as you are".

Hermione blushed and looked up at him "you stole my lines Draco and this evening was indeed beautiful but I am not sure if I live up to your compliment" she said shyly. Draco gently lifted her chin and looked into her eyes, his own a swirling in it's depths. "You really are beautiful Mione. Don't ever doubt that" he said firmly before turning mischievous as he said "and this dress is great on you although I would like it to be more off than on, you know".

She playfully shoved him with a scandalized " _Draco_ " before she became serious once again. "I have something for you. I want you to wear it always, ok? I can't bear it if something happens to you and I can't help" she said and fished out the pendants.

Draco looked at the pendants "put it on me" he commanded and Hermione did the same. He undid the buttons on his shirt as the pendant nestled against his chest. She lightly ran her hand over his chest and the pendant and said "you put on mine".

Draco gingerly handled the other chain and placed it around her neck. "Do you know that in many Indian communities they exchange garlands as part of the wedding ceremony? It is common among Hindus" Hermione recited, her mind latching onto some long lost book that she had read.

"Really? That is very interesting" Draco commented and said "can I test the pendant now?". Hermione nodded "clasp the pendant in your hand and think of what you want to say to me saying my name first. That will ensure that the message the message comes only to me" she clarified.

Draco immediately clasped his hand around his pendant, closed his eyes and thought 'Hermione I love you'. Hermione held her pendant and with a wide smile thought back "Draco I love you". They smiled at each other as the messages appeared on their pendants. "Thank goodness you are good with your charms. I really don't want to say I love you to the whole DA" Draco quipped eliciting quiet laughter from Hermione.

He stepped forward and took her in his arms once again and turned sombre "Hermione you are very important to me. Had it been when I was a Malfoy I would have also bought you something as beautiful as what you deserve but for now I can only offer you this" he said taking off the ring from his finger.

Sensing her hesitation he hastened to explain "love, listen to me, under normal circumstances I would have probably bought you a very expensive piece of jewellery. But now I am not in a position to do anything like that. This is the only piece of jewellery, actually the only valuable thing that I still have and I want you to have it. It is not an engagement ring or anything of the sort. If at all, it is more of a promisory ring, with promises of better times. If by any chance I don't make it, I want this ring to be with you. To remind everyone of the person that I was. It is also not a Malfoy ring if that is what is stopping you. This is from the Black line to whom Harry is also connected now. So please…will you have it?" he said his voice coming out heartbreakingly plaintive.

"Draco I am not letting anything take away from the beauty of this evening. I refuse to spoil this evening with any sadness. The war can go screw itself for tonight. Tonight we are just Draco and Hermione and we love Indian food and soft music. So yes I will accept the ring. Please put on the ring darling" Hermione said fiercely.

Draco took her right hand tenderly in his and slipped on the platinum ring onto her finger. It immediately resized to fit her finger snugly. He kissed her hand and laid it against his heart as he said "One day I hope I get to place a ring on the other hand as well".

"Draco I don't want this evening to end but unfortunately it is rather late and we do have to get back" Hermione pointed out reluctantly and said "I have the cloak but what are you going to do Draco? How are you getting back considering that it is past curfew" she asked.

Draco winked conspiratorially "Dobby has agreed to get me to the dorm" he said even as the aforementioned elf appeared as the name was spoken. "Master Draco I is hoping that you had a nice evening Sir and mam and the food was alright" he said in his excited manner.

"Oh the food was delicious and the evening was beautiful. Thank you Dobby and now can you help Draco get to Ravenclaw tower?" Hermione addressed the elf. "Yes Miss Hermione I is helping Master Draco. Elves can apparate into any tower" he acknowledged.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and approached Draco "Thank you for everything Draco. Please be careful" she said and quickly gave him a hug and enclosed herself in the cloak. Draco saw the door opening and knew that it was Hermione leaving the room. He turned to Dobby "can you make sure that she is in the tower safely and then come back for me?" he requested.

Dobby disappeared and reappeared within a few minutes and in the next minute Draco found himself in front of his bed. The others were already in bed and he was thankful for that. He quickly changed and got into bed. Before drifting off to bed he clasped his hand around the pendant and thought 'Hermione, good night and dream of me' and smiled when pat came the reply 'Draco, you dream of me'. Draco had no doubts that he would and he drifted off with the thought 'this pendant is not bad after all'.

 **Author notes** : Thank you for sticking with me on this journey. I really appreciate the reviews and I do need to respond to pretty lily potter who raised a few valid points. Yes, the relationship between Harry and Ginny is AU in the sense that they have started dating already. I should have mentioned it so you are right.

Secondly as far as Severus is concerned …I am not sure if I can call him friendly, he is simply not nasty. Snape is a deep character by himself and if I get into his characterisation in depth the story will become too long winding. That is the reason that I do not get into the analyses of Snape but rather treat him as the one adult who is in Draco's corner as the story essentially is that of Draco.

As for my punctuation…point taken and humbly accepted. I will definitely work on it. The reason I have not approached for a beta is that in my experience my draft takes too long to come back to me from the reader which in turn affects upload. Hope that clarifies all your doubts. If pretty lily potter has read this do let me know!

I thank once again each one of you who leave a review. It is a learning experience for me. So until next time take care and do read and review. Ciao!


	49. Chapter 49 gringotts escapade

**Chapter 49 Gringotts escapade**

 **Disclaimer:** Harry Potter characters are not mine…this story however is!

 **Warning for mild swearing**

Hermione woke up with blurry eyes and dark circles trying to stifle a yawn. She had been too excited to go to bed after her date especially with Ginny waiting for her update as well. She smiled as she remembered Ginny squealing in delight on seeing the ring. Her friend had never thought that Draco _the Malfoy_ could be so romantic and she had been wonderstruck. To be fair, Hermione herself was feeling the same as it had still not sunk in that she was wearing the Black ring on her finger.

It was beautiful and overwhelming at the same time and she sighed. Much as she would have loved to think about her feelings they had to start work on the horcrux and today was the day they would hash out their plans. Her elation was shadowed by worry and she wished for the hundredth time that Voldemort would just go and die by himself in some obscure way.

Soon she joined Ginny and they headed to the boy's dorm to meet the boys where they found a sleepy Ron and an alert Harry waiting for them. Hermione tried not to be self-conscious about the ring and hoped that the boys would not notice it but she should have known better. In just a few minutes she felt Harry's eyes on her as he raised his eyebrows in curiosity.

Hermione fell silent and felt a blush creep onto her face as Ron suddenly stopped talking as he noticed the ring. "Geez Hermione don't tell me the git proposed and you accepted... _already_ " he burst out. Hermione blushed harder as she looked at the smile on Harry's face "No of course not" she said weakly. "It was just a gift, not an engagement ring" she explained as Ron exclaimed "thank goodness" fervently.

Ginny however shoved him and said "don't be a git Ron. If they are meant to be together you ought to be happy for them". Ron reluctantly agreed although he looked like he had swallowed a lemon. Hermione however changed the subject and urged them to get going for breakfast.

They entered the Great hall to find Draco already at his table and having a conversation with Luna and some others. As Hermione entered however, he stopped to look at Hermione and gave her a small smile even as his eyes twinkled. Hermione could not stop her own glowing smile in return as she stroked the ring absently.

They had their breakfast where Hermione was cooed over for the ring on her finger. The explanation she gave them however was that it was sent to her by her mother and belonged to her grandmother. Her explanation was vague at best and she could see the scepticism in her friend's eyes but they could not really question her further. She also knew that the story would not hold forever as most purebloods were familiar with family crests and would recognise the ring at some point.

The rest of the day passed swiftly until they met at the room of requirement where Severus Snape joined them to discuss about their foray to Gringotts. Without further ado he addressed the teens. "Draco it seems feasible for you to impersonate Lucius but then you will be asked to provide your wand for inspection. Since we do not have Lucius's wand I am afraid that you would have to cast the confundus or imperious to get your way past the goblin. This is where you would come in . I assume that you would be wearing your cloak and be with Draco. Do not linger unnecessarily and make your way out of there fast. I also need to know if you can cast the confundus or the imperious curse. I do not need any squeamishness when the mission rests on your ability to do so" he said severely.

Harry nodded solemnly "No Sir I can do both the spells and I do know that it is for a good cause" he said quietly. Severus once again addressed them "I want you both to wear the pendants for communication but I will also add a portkey function to it. The portkey function will _not_ however work inside Gringotts. You will have to make your way out of Gringotts to be able to activate it. The activation word is 'sanctuary'. Now Miss Granger do you have the pendants with you?"

Hermione gave him the pendants for Harry and Ron and then removed her own from her neck as Draco did the same. This garnered some very curious looks in their direction and she knew that Ron was barely restraining himself but given the seriousness of the situation no one commented on it.

Quickly Snape cast the necessary charms on the pendants and gave them back to their original owners. Ron and Harry tested their pendants while Hermione and Draco attested to the fact that theirs were fine. Snape once again turned to the teenagers "Needless to say let's avoid the heroics. You will carry one more vial of polyjuice Draco just to be safe. Get into the vault, get the horcrux and come back home. Do not linger for anything" he reiterated.

"What about the dragon Sir" Ron asked as the others looked at him puzzled "what dragon are you talking about ?" Snape asked. Ron gulped "well my brother who works in Gringotts said that they have a dragon in the lower levels as security."

The teens looked horrified at this new information as Severus Snape himself felt a bit rattled "are you sure about this information ? I have not heard of anything about a dragon" he said. Ron nodded seriously "I am pretty sure that it is there sir, they are keeping it quiet".

"Well we do not have the time to formulate a new plan. I am afraid that you boys are pretty much on your own out there. Use your wits and be careful. This is an unexpected complication and I am afraid that there might be more than one such complication. I reiterate just do what you have to do and bring back the horcrux. Under no circumstance are you to try destroying the horcrux there. We do not know how the horcrux will react and we do not need to complicate the situation further" Severus Snape said with a heavy heart.

The boys were going into a near blind situation which could go wrong very easily but there was truly no way around it. "One more thing, I know that _this_ is important but it is _not_ more important than your safety. If there is even a faint chance that it is going to go haywire I want you to hightail it out of there, horcrux or no horcrux" he said.

"But Sir, we might not get another chance" Harry started to protest but stopped at the look on the Professor's face. "Your word …you too Draco" he said in a firm voice as the boys reluctantly nodded. But deep inside they knew that come what may they would get the horcrux. Harry was right, they would not get a second chance and they needed to destroy all the horcruxes to be able to nail Voldemort for good.

"So when do you want to do this?" Snape asked the all-important question. Draco and Harry looked at each other. "Tomorrow" Draco said as Ron and Hermione looked at him startled. "So soon?" Hermione asked as Draco responded "I don't want to give Lucius any time to throw any more complications our way. We have to do it when they don't expect anything like this". The others nodded acknowledging the truth of the statement.

"Fine then I want you all here at nine am sharp. , Draco the portkey will bring you back to the room of requirement. I suggest you run through your wand less summoning charm and your shield charm. These might come in handy. Draco, I will transfigure a cane like the one Lucius has. It is far too noticeable for you to be without it. So, unless you have doubts I will now take leave. Do not tire yourselves out. You need to be at your best tomorrow. Good night" Severus bid the teenagers and seeing as they were lost in thought made his way back to his quarters.

Sleep however was lost to him as he sat nursing a rare glass of firewhisky. He sighed and deeply wished that this war would soon be over. His godson and Potter were once again facing challenges that no child should. This was not an age for war and it made him angry that he was so helpless to help the teens.

Moreover as if the situation was not dire enough, there was the talk of a dragon and it worried him. But there was nothing to be done and he hoped that lady luck would favour his godson the following day. He had not been a particularly religious man all these years but at the end of this blasted war he might just become one he thought.

The teens for their part practised their wand less magic for a while before retiring to bed.

The next morning they reassembled after a small breakfast at the room of requirement. They had been too nervous to have a proper breakfast and now found themselves in front of the potions master and the headmaster who had been filled in on the events.

Severus carried a cane that looked remarkably like the one that Lucius carried. He held out the vial that held the polyjuice potion to Draco who promptly went behind a screen for privacy. He held the expensive robes given to him by the headmaster in his hands, the kind of robes that once belonged to Draco _Malfoy_. He brushed aside a moment of nostalgia and downed the vial of polyjuice. After a few uncomfortable moments he stared into his father's face but the eyes were devoid of the icy glare that Lucius's had.

Draco straightened his frame and squared his shoulders as he carried the cane. It was time to be the old Draco Malfoy he thought, as he cleared all thoughts and summoned his arrogance and sneer as if it was a blanket. When he stepped out to where the others were, he knew by their expressions that he _was_ Lucius.

Hermione gasped in shock. She had forgotten how cold and aloof Draco used to be. Seeing the cold eyes and the arrogant sneer she could not believe for a moment that this was Draco. She touched the ring as if to remind herself that this was her Draco and not his death eater father.

Draco felt a stab in his heart as he saw the fear in Hermione's eyes as she looked at him and he had to remind himself that the fear was for his father. He consoled himself by the thought that he must be doing something right if he evoked this reaction. Harry for his part apprised him silently holding onto the invisibility cloak.

Snape turned towards them with floo powder in his hand. "The room has provided us with a floo connection to the Leaky Cauldron. Make haste and be safe. May God be with you" he said as Draco took the floo powder. He got into the floo with Harry and soon disappeared in a burst of green flames.

They landed in the Leaky cauldron where Draco acknowledged the bartended with a haughty nod and made his way swiftly to Gringotts. He was aware of Harry keeping pace with him although it must be more difficult for Harry as he had to avoid a whole host of people and also be at his side.

Soon they were at Gringotts. "This is it. Harry are you with me?" Draco muttered and was answered with a "yes I am right behind you. Let's do this". Wasting no time Draco entered the bank and headed straight to the teller.

Drawing on the superior drawl of the elder Malfoy he said "I wish to access my vault". The goblin in front of them looked up with an assessing glance "Identification please" he intoned. Draco allowed a smidgeon of annoyance to cross his face as he snapped "I don't believe I need to identify myself goblin".

"I am sorry, but it is standard protocol Sir" the goblin responded. The goblins had an arrogance all of their own and this was a battle of ego. "Fine, have it your way. I am Lucius Malfoy and I need to access my vault immediately" Draco demanded.

" , may we have your wand for identification" the goblin said with a sneer or rather what could be passed for a sneer on the goblin's face. Even if they knew what had to be done, Draco had to act annoyed as his father would be.

"Goblin, you dare ask me for identification? I presume you know what position I hold in our society" Draco spoke in his icy tone as the goblin answered in an equally icy tone "I am afraid I have to follow regulations ".

The goblin held out his hand and Draco handed over his wand reluctantly as he muttered "Here, you have it and make haste. You are wasting my time".

As soon as the wand was in the hand of the goblin however, he heard Harry mutter " _imperio_ ".A blank look descended on the goblin's face as he handed the wand back to Draco and pressed the bell to summon another goblin. "Ragnok escort to his vault. Use the key that is with the bank" he directed. Draco let out a small sigh of relief and followed the goblin.

Rapidly the two teens followed the goblin to the escalator which descended to the depths of the building. They climbed onto the cart and held their breath as it twisted and turned, careening at top speed on the tracks. They passed under a waterfall at one point which left them both drenched _and_ horror stuck.

Harry was now clearly visible while Draco no longer resembled Lucius Malfoy. "No one can deceive the thief's downfall. You wizards think you are so clever but you cannot outwit us goblins. All enchantments wash out when drenched with this water" the goblin sneered as he tipped the cart throwing both the teens out.

Harry immediately drew his wand. He once again cast the _imperio_ forcing the goblin to take them to Lucius Malfoy's vault. As they neared the vault they were shaken by a resounding roar. Harry and Draco looked at each other with alarm. It must be the dragon that Ron was talking about.

Soon the cart stopped in front of a vault and they were once again tipped onto the ground. The goblin opened the vault and the two teens stepped inside. They quickly started looking around knowing that at any time the imperious would wear off and there was no telling what the goblin would do.

They scanned the piles and piles of gold and treasures for the cup until Harry felt the evil vibes from the object sitting innocuously on top of a pile of gold coins. "Draco I see it" he called out drawing Draco to his side. Immediately they tried summoning the object both wand less and with wand but the object stayed put. None of the spells seemed to work until Harry said "Draco can you lift me up? I will just have to lift it down".

Draco nodded and hoisted Harry up enabling Harry to hook his fingers onto the cup and bring it down. But unfortunately it involved putting a hand on the pile of coins and that seemed to start a spell of it's own. The coins started multiplying as well as getting heated up. Soon, they were being pushed back by a pile of burning coins. "Shit Harry don't touch anything…anything you touch it will multiply. Lucius has placed the Gemini curse on them" Draco shouted.

Harry needed no second urging. He was already heading towards the door but stopped when he heard loud shouts from outside. It seemed that the imperious had worn off and the goblin had summoned the others.

"Draco take the second dose of polyjuice. It might give us a few minutes" Harry said disappearing under the invisibility cloak. Draco quickly gulped down the second dose and once again morphed into Lucius Malfoy. Tucking the cup firmly into his robes he walked out confidently to see a whole group of goblins waiting for him.

"Sirs, I ask you to halt. It has come to our notice that you are an imposter and I am afraid you have to come with us" a goblin who looked like the leader called out. Draco halted and sneered at the goblin "and _who_ may I ask am I impersonating?" he asked in the most sarcastic tone that he could muster.

The goblin halted nonplussed for a moment as he saw Lucius Malfoy before him. He had been told that it was a younger boy probably the son and that he was accompanied by Harry Potter of all people. He had to however be sure, impersonator or not. "If you are indeed Lucius Malfoy you have no need to fear Sir. I am sure that the thief's downfall would do nothing to you" he said.

" _Shit_ " Draco swore mentally as he forced an annoyed expression on his face and said "Is this the way you treat important customers goblin? I have better things to do than accommodate your every wish. Now, move aside and let me pass or face the consequences" he threatened in his best impersonation of Lucius Malfoy. This however did not deter the goblin.

"I am afraid I have to insist Sir" the goblin reiterated standing firm as he motioned for the other goblins to close in. Harry and Draco reacted as one. Seeing no way out they immediately started casting spells as they started running away from the goblins. Unfortunately, they saw no sign of the cart in which they came, only the cavern that stretched endlessly all around them.

"What do we do now?" Draco asked as a spell landed uncomfortably close to them. "I don't know …look for a door, an exit, something" Harry panted as they ran dimly aware of the roaring of the dragon in the background. "Fine you look on the right and I will see on the left" Draco called out even as they heard rapid footsteps running towards them.

Soon they realised that there was nowhere to run. The only way out were the carts and there were goblins manning every cart that ran up and down. "Should we try to take out one of the goblins and use the cart?" Draco asked aloud. Seeing no other way Harry nodded "might as well try it" he said.

Nodding to each other they crouched in one corner of the cavern cavorting the darkness and waited for a cart to come their way. Just as they heard footsteps closing in on where they crouched they also heard the sound of an approaching cart.

"Harry cover me" Draco mouthed as he rose to take aim at the approaching cart. Harry immediately cast a shield around them while attempting to stave off the spells from the goblins who now knew where they were.

Draco aimed for the goblin in the cart and sent a displacement spell followed by a blasting curse but the spell did nothing to the goblin. Cursing under his breath, he called to Harry "Harry we have to get out of here. Our spells are useless against them" he muttered as he dodged a bright light just in time.

They were now being forced deeper into the cave where they could hear the dragon more clearly. "Damn they are boxing us in" Harry muttered as he struggled to cast continuous shield charms along with Draco. They were resorting to shielding themselves as their spell casting was proving to be useless against the goblins.

" _Shit_ " both of them cursed as one of the spells tore their shield apart and landed between them. Both of their robes were singed by the spell and they knew that they would have matching scars on their sides. "This cave seems to be never ending. Any bright ideas mate?" Harry asked desperately staving off the attacks and then swore once again as a rope landed on his ankle tightening it's hold on his ankle.

He tripped and went sprawling as Draco rushed to pull him back. More ropes were coming in their direction and it was Draco's turn to dodge one while Harry quickly used a severing charm on his. Hauling Harry to his feet Draco said "I have an idea…but it's mad".

"I don't care, just tell me. I just got almost reeled in for God's sake" Harry shouted back. "Run towards the dragon. We have to fly it out. It's our only way out" Draco said. Harry stopped mid stride and stared at Draco in shock. Once the initial shock wore off however he saw that the plan had merit. There really was no other way and it was brilliant. No one would expect them to do anything remotely like that. He nodded and ran towards the roaring that was gaining in intensity.

A few yards ahead they stopped abruptly and stared at the dragon in all it's glory. It was a huge welsh green that was tethered by chains. Without hesitation they ran up the cave so that they could jump on it's back. When they were level with it's back they looked at each other and took a running leap.

They landed on the hard hump and scrambled for a hold. Desperately holding onto a ridge both boys struggled to scamper on it's back. The dragon by now was bucking wildly almost displacing the two boys perched perilously on it's back. Reaching down, Draco shouted " _relashio_ " as Harry hastened to do the same thing to release the bindings on the dragon's leg.

Finding itself free for the first time in a long while, the dragon stretched it's wing and took flight. Both boys hung on for dear life wincing as their hands now bore a multiple array of burns, cuts and bruises. They held their breath as the dragon took flight for the roof. They looked at each other and Draco reached out a hand to hold Harry as Harry released a hand to cast " _reducto_ " that created a hole in the roof. He repeated the spell a few times to create a big enough hole for the dragon.

The dragon broke through the hole in the ceiling, covering the boys in shards of glass and bricks and flew towards the sky. Harry and Draco hung on in the face of the wind that whipped through their robes and hair as the dragon dipped and soared through the sky. Their arms were aching to the point of dropping off and both boys grunted with the effort of holding on. It took all their effort to swing a leg over and hold onto the ridge better as the wind buffeted them in all directions. The air was frigid and both boys shivered in their robes.

"Harry we have to get off soon or we might end up in another town altogether" Draco shouted over the wind. Harry nodded "when we are over water…drop down" he shouted back. "What if we are too high up?" Draco countered sending Harry into silence. "I have no idea. Start praying though" he said. For the next few minutes both boys flew in silence as they prayed that the dragon would descend somewhere.

As if the dragon heard them it started going into a descent after a few minutes giving hope to the boys. They exchanged a look "when I say jump, we jump" Harry called out. Draco nodded to show that he understood and waited for the dragon to descend further. Soon the dragon descended over a body of water and stopped to drink from the river. Taking advantage of the moment Harry shouted "let go" as he himself let go of his hold on the dragon.

He splashed into the water and immediately swam to the shore very aware of Draco doing the same on the other side. Soon, they were sprawled on the grass utterly exhausted and shivering in the cold. "Are you ok?" Draco asked as Harry nodded and asked "is the horcrux safe?" back. Draco held up the cup lodged firmly in his robes with a sticking charm "yeah let's head back shall we? We need to destroy this one" he said with a grim expression. The cup rattled in his robes as if aware of its; own mortality.

"Let me send a message to Ron first" Harry said as he closed his fist around his pendant and thought "object obtained. Will be there soon". Almost immediately the reply flashed "thank god. Get back soon". At almost the same time Draco's pendant flashed "Draco are you safe?" it read and he grinned and sent back "Hermione safe, sound, kicking and in the mood".

"Do I even want to know?" Harry asked drily as he added "never mind. Don't answer that. Let's activate the portkey. On three alright?" he asked and called out "One…two…three". On three, both boys muttered "sanctuary" and landed in the room of requirement wet and cold.

 **Author notes:** Thank you for some lovely reviews although I expected some reaction to the Indian tidbit in the earlier chapter (sad face).So here's the Gringotts escape and I wonder if any of you have done the ride at Universal studios? So, until the next chapter take care and do read and review!


	50. Chapter 50 it gets nastier

**Chapter 50 It gets nastier**

 **Disclaimer** : None of the Harry Potter characters are mine.

"Oh my God _Draco! Harry_!" Hermione's voice resounded as she knelt next to the two boys. The two boys however got to their feet slowly with a groan "Can someone cast a drying charm on us" Draco asked as he looked around for a chair to sit on. Snape quickly cast a drying charm on the two teens as he tried to assess their injuries. "Where are you hurt?" he asked looking at the boys with concern, or what could be the closest to the emotion on the dour man's face.

Both boys sat on the sofa heavily and spread their hands to show the burns that they had sustained. Snape _tsked_ and dabbed dittany on the wounds as Ron spoke up. " _Ouch_! How did you get those? And was there really a dragon?" he asked curiously as Snape glared at him.

But before the boys could answer, Dumbledore approached the teens. "I hope you both are alright. Some rest will do you good but before that I am afraid I have to ask if you have the object with you?" he asked solicitously. Draco opened his robes and handed over the offending object to Dumbledore. The horcrux rattled in Dumbledore's hands as if aware of it's mortality and Harry felt a shiver run through him at the motion.

"I know that all of us are most curious to hear your tale but I believe it will be prudent to get rid of the horcrux first. Severus and I will do it right now" Dumbledore said. The teenagers were glad to leave it to the adults for the first time in memory and sat huddled on the sofa. Snape and Dumbledore made quick work of the horcrux which made it's exit in a fashion that was by now familiar to the teens. The cup now lay cracked neatly in half.

"Draco why did you never respond to my messages. I was going spare" Hermione gently admonished. Draco looked askance at Harry before smirking "I am sorry Hermione but you see" he paused dramatically before saying "there was this mild problem of holding onto a dragon in flight that made me unable to answer" sending the whole room into stunned silence before all hell broke loose.

"What do you mean holding onto a dragon?" Hermione screeched as Ron said "whoa! What the hell" at the same time as Snape who gave them a sharp angry look and drawled " _What did you both do_?".Harry and Ron shared an amused glance as Dumbledore raised his hands "now now Severus, I think we should give the boys a chance to tell their story".

"Yes I would definitely like to know what the hell transpired there" Snape exhaled as Harry and Draco once again exchanged a glance. They went through their escapade with Draco embellishing their ride on the dragon with a dramatic flair. Harry suppressed a smile, well the old Draco was surfacing at last but he quickly became sober at the look on Snape's face.

"I hope that both of you realise that you escaped by the skin of your teeth. That is not acceptable. Riding a dragon? _Really_?" Snape's scathing tone wiped the smile from Draco's face. "Severus there was absolutely no exit there…we were boxed in totally. We had to get out of there to activate the portkey and there was simply no other way of doing it. We were losing against the goblins. Our magic was not doing anything against them" Draco exclaimed passionately.

"Well we are extremely fortunate that both of you did not suffer greater injuries. Much as I would like to stay and offer my support I am afraid I have work that needs attending to. Therefore may I suggest that both of you rest and then join us later in the Great hall for lunch? I will now summon Dobby to get you something light to eat and take my leave" Dumbledore said. He quickly asked the eager elf to get them light sandwiches with hot chocolate and made his exit

Once Dumbledore left, Hermione immediately engulfed both boys in a hug. "Don't you dare do something like this again. The _both_ of you" she said severely as both boys regarded her with a grin. They lapsed into a contemplative silence which Ron broke "You know something guys? This is going to make headlines. You better be prepared for some serious attention" he quipped with a sly smile.

Harry groaned but Draco became serious "My father is going to be furious" he said contemplatively "and do you think you- know- who might have connected the dots by now? What do you think Severus?" Draco asked rousing Snape from his pensive mood.

"I am not sure Draco. He is consumed by the notion of his own intelligence and does not believe that anyone can outthink him but even he will become wise to what is going on. Even if he had been depending on the vinculum potion earlier and therefore let go of the necklace's absence this will broadcast the issue very clearly. The fact that it is once again you and Potter who have got one of his horcruxes is going to incense him and I am sure he will want to get his hands on you at all costs. He will want to make an example of you so that no one questions his claims of power. I won't be surprised if he plans a confrontation soon" Severus answered the question.

"It is the logical next step anyway" Harry said and Ron puckered his brow "what is a logical next step Harry?" he asked. "Well look at our collection of horcruxes. By our counts we have located and destroyed all the objects that we _know_ as horcruxes leaving only Voldemort and Nagini now. Those two obviously can be vanquished only in a fight" Harry explained.

"But that is only six Harry, what could the seventh horcrux possibly be?" Hermione wondered. Everyone fell into contemplative silence trying to rack their brains for an answer until Harry looked up with a gasp. " _Merlin!_ " he gasped before he turned ashen and an expression of complete horror crossed his face. The others became alarmed and Ron asked "what is it Harry?"

"What if…what if" Harry hesitated unable to voice his thoughts out aloud and Hermione catching onto his thought process burst out " _no_ Harry that cannot be it. You are wrong. You hear me? _You are wrong_ " she said frantically unable to process the thought running through her friend's mind. " _Will someone tell me what the hell is going on_?" Ron demanded looking at everyone.

Severus and Draco looked at each other and sighed as they sought to explain what everyone had understood. "Potter seems to think that _he_ is the seventh horcrux" Draco stated as Ron paled. "That is mental, Harry, that is not possible. It is not the truth…It _can't_ be, right professor?" he asked looking uncertainly at the Professor.

"No it is not possible" Snape stated quietly as Harry looked at him with uncertainty albeit with a hint of hope. "Then why is it that I am able to see what Voldemort does? Why do I have this connection with Voldemort then? Why am I able to sense the horcruxes…unless I am one too?" Harry said in a subdued tone.

"I am not sure if the phenomenon has a logical explanation . All that I can say is that if you _are_ a horcrux you would have taken more of the Dark Lord's qualities and experienced the visions much earlier than when you actually did. I dare say that you would even have had an idea of where he was from the time of your parent's death and if not then, at least when you came to Hogwarts and knew of your heritage. _In fact_ you would have been able to easily identify the Dark Lord's presence when you encountered Quirrel" Snape said much to the relief of everyone present.

"I take it that you had no idea of the Dark Lord's whereabouts before Hogwarts right?" he asked as Harry responded with a slightly more hopeful "no Sir". Not stopping there Snape further sought to dispel the worry "I hate to say this Potter but believe me when I say that you would display none of your altruistic Gryffindor tendencies if you were a horcrux" he said as Harry blushed a deep red at Draco's smirk.

"Plus there is the fact that the Dark Lord consciously wanted to make _seven_ horcruxes. We know that much from Slughorn's memory that Dumbledore has, and we all know that once he attacked you Potter, he lost his body. He had no time or the means to convert the curse scar to a horcrux when he had no hand to even hold his wand. If _that_ is not convincing enough think of how many times you have confronted the Dark Lord. I am sure that no horcrux of his is this disobedient" Snape said dryly.

The atmosphere in the room lightened with the pronunciation as Harry and Hermione let out the breath and deflated in relief. Hermione swiped her eyes getting rid of the moisture that had already gathered even as her heart went back to it's normal beat. For a minute she had been terrified for her friend and she had been overcome with panic at the horrible thought.

Draco leaned toward her and laid his hand on hers and gave it a squeeze "Don't worry Hermione some pests are difficult to get rid of" he said with a grin as Harry playfully shoved him with an indignant "hey".

The group lapsed into companionable silence as Ron asked the burning question on everyone's mind "So now this brings us to the question _what_ is the seventh horcrux? Is there even a seventh horcrux?" and he was answered by Snape again.

"I have no doubts that there _is_ a seventh horcrux . The dark lord is a very stubborn man. If seven is a magically powerful number and he wants to make seven horcruxes, he _will_ have seven horcruxes" Snape reiterated.

"In that case let us review what is pending. We have destroyed the diary, ring, necklace and cup. Fifth is nagini and sixth is Voldemort himself. From what we have seen we have had founder's items plus some items of Voldemort himself as horcruxes. Therefore we can safely derive that the seventh item is either a founder's item or something of Voldmort himself" Hermione summarised.

The others nodded as Snape said "very succinctly put Miss Granger. So does anyone have any ideas?". Draco spoke up "the only notable item of Gryffindor is the sword and I don't think that's quite it". Harry shook his head and added "I am very sure that it is not the sword. I have handled it remember? And I did not sense anything evil from it. It did not affect me in the least. In fact it helped me".

"So we can safely discount the sword I suppose, which actually makes things difficult you know?" Ron said looking thoughtful "what else could be valuable to the snake nosed git?". The group descended into silence as they tried to come up with something that could have relevance to Voldemort and make for a possible horcrux.

Finally Harry looked up sheepishly "okay, I know this is going to sound mental but in all the times that I have been up against him there is one thing that has come up repeatedly"…he paused "His muggle father".

The others looked at him quizzically and he rushed to explain his surmise "I mean he has not even given up his surname, just refashioned it .Add to that he had his birthing in a _muggle_ cemetery where I was tied to his father's headstone and the fact that he used his _father's_ bones for the ritual. He called his father a foolish muggle…I wonder if the horcrux could be something to do with his father just to prove a point or something? I mean if he was so ashamed of his father he would have dissociated himself from the name totally instead of running the risk of a whole lot of people knowing that he is a half blood. That is counterproductive to his pure blood supremacy propaganda and why would he do it unless he is tied to his father in some way?" he asked hesitantly.

He honestly did not expect any of the others to think anything of the idea. It sounded like a whole lot of bollocks even to him and was therefore very surprised when Draco said "You _do_ have a point. It's worth investigating Harry. You may not realise this but the Dark Lord does not value other humans at all. Everyone is inferior to him in his mind. If you ask any of the death eaters they will tell you that they have seen him talk only of one person repeatedly in all the time that they have been with him. That person is _you_ Harry. You frustrate him immensely."

"Your point being?" Ron asked unable to visualise where the explanation was heading. "The point I was getting to was the fact that if some other name is coming up repeatedly it either means he hates the person or the person has a significant value in the Dark Lord's life" Draco said triumphantly.

" _Bloody hell! Are you saying that his father's body is a horcrux_? That is sick" Ron blurted out looking a little green at the prospect. Considering the seriousness of the situation no one even commented on the language. Instead Harry asked "I don't know about that Ron but he used his father's bone for the ritual. Sir, do you think that he got back his body because he rejoined his horcrux?" looking a little ashen at the prospect.

"I don't know but I believe that this is worth looking into. We will have to investigate the graveyard and possibly exhume the body to ascertain whether it is still a horcrux or has been used as one" Snape said sending the crowd into silence once again. By now everyone was looking nauseated and Snape himself had a disgusted expression on his face.

" _Ewww_ " Ron exclaimed as Snape said "quite Mr. Weasley".The whole situation seemed quite bizarre to the point where Snape was actually agreeing with Ron's reaction. Harry shook his head, hell had definitely frozen over it seemed.

"So once again we arrive at the question of what next?" Hermione observed as Snape once again responded. "I will talk to the headmaster about this and get his opinion too after which we will have a plan of action. For all we know the body might have been made into an inferi as well".

"This is getting nastier and nastier. I just wish we can be done with all this soon" Ron said wistfully as Draco nodded "don't we all mate?" he said with a sad smile. "Anyway it is time for us to head to lunch. I am sure you don't want to miss it" he quipped as Ron got to his feet. "Perhaps a treacle tart will cheer us up" Ron said as the others got to their feet as well.

 **Author note** : thank you staying with me on this journey. I needed a bit of time for this chapter as I was conflicted over the issue of whether Harry would be a horcrux or not. As ever I look forward to the reviews and it makes me insanely happy to see the word review in my inbox. So please make a little lady happy!


End file.
